Doll Masters
by SaySaeri
Summary: AU. Shut-in librarian Onodera Ritsu thought he'd live a pleasant, quiet life filled with books and talking with his only outside friend. He also thought that he'd never set foot outside ever again after that fated day at high school. He thought wrong. RitsuxMasamune, featuring all other pairings, including Junjou pairings.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own any of Nakamura-sensei's work. **

**Warning: Language.**

* * *

Ritsu POV:

I...

I have been living in this library for almost 10 years now.

At least, I think so. That's what the calendar says, and it's about the only _thing_ that reminds me of what day it is. The only living being that reminds me is my only connection to the outside world, my only frie- looking out the window behind me, I can see that a small child accidentally let go of his balloon.

It's Summer now, that's right. Many come in here to escape the heat and Summer homework.

With the people who enter my realm of living space, I don't interact with them unless I need to. Sometimes though, if they look lost, I help them. I like helping people this way.

I glance around before putting a book back on the shelf; a procedure I have committed to doing. After all, you don't know what could happen if you're not aware of your surroundings.

Like that fated day. Various memories flash throughout my mind.

I shake my head. That was the past. There are reasons for everything. If that hadn't happened, I wouldn't be here.

Looking around once more, I relax and inhale the scents of the books, new and old. I smile.

I love it here. I don't ever want to leave.

* * *

I look at the clock, and it tells me that its time for everyone to leave. I patiently watch as the few remaining people leave.

Before I lock the doors, I see my only friend walk up to the library entrance and let him in.

"I brought some things for you!" he says, his forest green eyes as bright as ever. I smile at him; his outgoing energy contrasts slightly with my quiet one.

"Thank you," I take them in my hand and walk with him into the small kitchen unseen to the public eye.

I talked with him for the first time when he hid behind my desk, hiding from a 'Usagi-san' in which I later found out was a nickname for Usami Akihiko, one of my favorite authors. I helped him hide; we ended up talking for a long while until Usami-sensei called his cell phone and said some rather naughty things.

Really, really naughty, I didn't even hear the conversation but I could tell by the look of the blushing teenager receiving the call.

Afterwards, he hung up and Misaki, he told me his name, confessed to me about their relationship, a bit unwillingly, seeing as I got the gist of what was going on between them.

I had no problems with it, I had fallen in love with a man, and I told him that. We ended up talking until two in the morning when Usami-sensei traced Misaki on his 'GPS' device and banged on the entrance doors.

Later, he visited once a week to update my knowledge of the current trends.

Eventually, he began visiting once a day upon finding out I order frozen packages to my home to heat, and he would bring produce and other various necessities; he taught me how to cook, bake, and other things that would improve my health. My parents never let me eat frozen packages of any sort, so I was actually delighted to have such products delivered to me. I have read about its unhealthiness, but the convenience of such a creation tempted me otherwise.

He asked me how I get my daily amount of sunlight, and I tell him I simply sunbathe near the windows as I read. And other way I get my light is the garden dome connected to the main body of the library, and option for those who wished to read in a natural environment without excessive noise.

I'm happy I made such a friend. He's helped me in so many ways, and sometimes he makes me wish I can leave this place for a while.

...Sometimes.

* * *

Today, it's raining. This means Misaki can't visit me today; Usami-sensei gave him limits to his visiting here.

I pull out my rack of used umbrellas I find after people leave; no one claims them, so I put them on a rack for anyone to use.

On days like these, not many people come, they simply come by for temporary shelter.

"Achoo!" I look up to see that a dark haired man come in. Seeing that he's already slightly soaked I grab an umbrella and hold it out to him.

Looking at it, he then looks back at me. "Kicking me out? Can I not rest here for a few minutes?"

I quickly go put the umbrella up and apologize to the man. "I-I'm sorry! I don't mean to make you think I was kicking you out; I just thought-"

"It's fine." He goes to sit down.

I watch as he leans back a bit. He doesn't look like a business man; I wonder where he works. It doesn't hurt to ask, right?

"Where do you work," I asked, and quickly added, "I-If you don't mind me asking."

He hands me his card, and I look at it curiously- I never received a card like this before. His name is Takano Masamune and he works at... "Marukawa Publishing?"

"Yeah, I'm head of the Shoujo Division."

"Oh wow..." I look back up at him. "What's it like?"

"Most days, utter hell."

"...Oh..." In situations like these, I'm happy I work here in the library.

"Have I seen you somewhere?" he asks me suddenly.

I shake my head. "I don't go out much... Maybe I just remind you of someone?"

He stares at me for the longest time with his brown piercing eyes and I feel uncomfortable. "Yeah, maybe that's it."

"Yeah..." I fidget nervously.

"What's your name?"

"O-oh!" I can't believe I didn't introduce myself. "I'm Onodera Ritsu."

"..."

Suddenly, he stands up and I back away; he looks me up and down and I feel uncomfortable again. "W-what's wrong?"

I begin feeling a sort of sensation, and I'm brought back into my memories with Senpai.

I don't like this. I shake my head and look at Takano-san. He's now looking at me like I popped out of nowhere.

Before he can say anything though, the someone comes through the door.

"That stupid Usagi-san!" Misaki says loudly in agitation.

"Misaki?" I go up to him curiously. Did something happen? "What happened?"

"Stupid Usagi, he doesn't let me out, but he goes off somewhere?! That's not fair!"

"But... he doesn't like going out in the first place..."

"I know! But..." Misaki sighs. "That's not fair to me, it... it's lonely," he looks up and pales a bit; I then remember that Takano-san's in here.

Facing Takano-san, I panic with Misaki. "I-It's not what you think! T-they-"

"Y-Yeah," interjects Misaki, "He's my landlord-"

I continue, "That he lives with-"

He finishes. "That I do not have a relationship with!"

We both huff for breath. Takano-san stares at us wide-eyed, before shrugging it off. "None of my business," he looks outside and goes to take an umbrella. "I'm taking one."

"Y-you can keep it," I say, "Take care."

After he leaves, Misaki sighs. "That was close," he hesitates for a moment. "Can I sleep over?"

A friend... sleeping over...

A sleepover?!

I smile. "Of course!"

* * *

? POV

How long has it been? I take out my pocket watch.

Yes... it's almost time.

I look down in the space and waved my hands to put the bodies back in their case.

Maybe this time, an Onodera will actually keep their family's promise to me.

The me that can't do crap because of that masked bastard.

...Wonder if he's watching me now. Tch, I hate him so much...

I look down at my little sister's case and let the guilt wash over me.

If I had just forced her to stay home, she wouldn't be in this mess. And as a doll!

How long does that bastard plan to play with us?!

I grip my hands into fists. I... I even involved the Isaka family along with the Onodera family- but it's too late now.

Grimacing, I materialize the cards in my hand. As always, it hurts like a frozen hell.

Looking through them carefully, I sadly release them onto the cases.

"Aren't you guys lucky," I say to their deaf, sleeping ears, "Your new masters are rather interesting. Take care of each other okay?"

I open the individual gateways and sent them through. "Let this be our last game, okay?"

After that was over, I began flitting around time again.

I really need to find the reason why he became so loony and evil.

* * *

**I tried a different style this time... I hope I managed to stay in mostly present tense. **

**I always wanted to do a story with dolls, my inspiration being Rozen Maiden (I obviously do not own).**

**Things will be explained... later. **

**What do you think?**


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own any of Nakamura-sensei's work.**

**When I think of wardrobe for Ritsu, I think of cardigans. Lots and lots of cardigans amongst collared long sleeved shirts. It's just so adorably handsome!**

* * *

Ritsu POV

It's been a week now since I first met Takano-san.

It has also been two days since I've seen Misaki- being a student must be hard.

Other than that, it's just like any other day.

Well, not really; ever since I've met Takano-san that day, he always came by after that. He would come and sit at the desks after it got dark outside and do corrections on drafts-storyboards... something along those lines.

Takano-san... he is a nice guy. Kind of. He's really mean on the phone- well, not mean per se, but he... he gets angry a lot, yes that's the word for it. Nice, but gets angry past a certain point.

Sometimes he'll get so loud I have to ask him to go outside. It's scary when I go ask him because I can feel the other people reading looking over at me; it feels somewhat embarrassing.

After he comes back from his phone call outside, everyone stares at him curiously until he stares at them back. I laugh silently; from my point of view it's rather comical. As I'm sitting while this is happening, I look back down to the book I'm looking through for any abuse.

Only Misaki knows this but... I really get annoyed by anybody who abuses the books carelessly. And when someone plays around the book shelves. I suppose that's every librarian's pet peeves, but for me, I really, really don't like it.

Taking care of this precious library was what I promised to my Grandfather's best friend, and I will continue to take care of it for as long as I can. It's also the least I can do for him in thanks for taking me in after I ran away from home. He was like family to me; Grandfather was really close to him. His name was Hikase.

Mother and Father didn't like him though- I think Father probably did like him, but after growing up and marrying that like most likely withered away into detachment. I always loved visiting them when I was younger; him and Grandfather would tell me stories and read to me.

One day though around when I was about ten, Mother didn't want me to go see him or Grandfather anymore; when I asked she just shook her head and changed the topic. Father would say nothing and act like I didn't say anything.

Grandfather and Hikase didn't do anything wrong. To my parents though, they did and I could not understand what they had done wrong.

When I turned 13, Grandfather passed away. And I never got to see him in all those 3 years until his funeral. I never thought I'd see Hikase so depressed. He was always smiling and joking. It was so strange that day, I remember, no one went up to him but me. Father and everyone else ignored him; at that point, I felt angry. He was Grandfather's best friend and they just acted like he didn't exist...

I always made sure to visit him after that. Never did I let Mother and Father know, because I know they'll not want me to. When I visited, he'd tell me stories about our family that Grandfather had told him. The more he told me about our family, the more I realized how much we changed since then. From back then to this present, I learned that our family gradually grew more... more careful about who we interacted with.

Now that I thought about, the most my parents told me about our family was that Onodera publishing went back some generations. And that was it.

It also brought to my attention that Hikase was the one who inherited Grandfather's belongings and knowledge. That didn't bother me though; I knew that Mother and Father would probably lock it up somewhere to never see the light of day.

Hikase also showed me some pictures of a really, really Great Uncle that looked vaguely like me. He had a twin but he had disappeared as a child. The really, really Great Uncle had died young during a feud, but Hikase said Grandfather had thought there was more to it. Their younger sister was the one who carried on the Onodera line.

It was so interesting to learn, I never wanted it to end.

Around that time, was also when I saw Senpai for the first time. I never thought that I would fall in love at first sight, but I did. I-

A hand waves in front of my face. "Hello?"

I snap out of my thoughts and look up to see a middle school student wanting to check out a book. "Oh," I say to her, "I'm sorry."

* * *

Closing time is now. I look around to find that everyone had left except for Takano-san, who looks very immersed in his work.

I don't really want to bother him, maybe I should let him stay a bit longer? I know- after I put up all these books I'll tell him to leave.

As I put up a book, I sneak a glance at him. He looks like my age, maybe a bit older...? "Um, Takano-san?"

He looks up at me, the hand holding his pen stops its movement. "What?"

"How old are you? You look around my age-ah... I'm 25."

"I'm 27."

"I see..." Just two years...

He continues to look at me. "When does your shift end here?"

"Hmm? It never ends."

He looks confused now. "You don't ever go home?"

"I live here. This library is connected to my living space."

"..." He just blinks. "When did you start working here?"

I turn to put up some more books as I talk. "10 years ago. It's owner died a little bit afterwards and put me in charge." I bit back my sad emotions; it was so sudden and lonely back then when Hikase died. By now I'm used to it, and I have Misaki visiting me so it's no longer big deal.

"It must be easy to get out a lot, huh?"

"I don't get out a lot- ever. I never leave this place."

He seems really surprised. "You never step foot outside even once?!"

"I don't like going out there. It's no big deal; there's a garden dome connected here so I get plenty of sun."

"Why?"

"Why?" I repeat. Trying not to reveal anything too much, I say, "I got bullied in high school, especially walking home. My parents, they... they didn't believe me, so I ran away." Yes, that sums it up, not too explicit...

"You ran away here?"

"The owner before me was my Grandfather's best friend and I was really close to him, so..."

He became silent after this, and he looked sort of angry.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"How exactly were you bullied?"

I didn't expect that type of question. "U-uh... Tacks in my shoes, signs on my back... most of it was verbal though; I just couldn't handle it well, that's all."

"...It was my fault, wasn't it?"

I look at him confused. "What do you mean?"

"You don't remember me?"

"No..." I look at him a bit more, "Maybe...?"

He put up his work and gathered his stuff together. "Before my parents divorced in high school, my name was 'Saga' Masamune."

Saga...

The only Saga I knew...!

All the memories come together in my head as I look at Takano-san again. I ignore the pain coming through my chest.

It... it's him?! I mean, he just grew taller, and his hair is different- heck we all go through changes after 10 years!

Ah... "Saga-senpai...?" I back away a bit, hitting the shelf behind me, "It's really you?!"

"Yeah," he stood up with his stuff on the table, "Took you long enough."

"Oh... So you realized..." I begin weakly, "That day we met..." I laugh nervously, "W-wow, you changed a lot..."

Takano-san widens his eyes at me incredulously. "That's all you have to say?!"

W-what is he saying?! "W-well, when I figured out you moved the next day, you did _that_ cause you were angry or something like that since that other time when you yelled at me and said I was gross."

"That..."

Eh? I was right? Whew. I put a hand to my heart and sigh. All these years I thought he most likely hated me or something. Still though, the aftermath of that day was hell. I look in the cart to see that I have two books left for the non-fiction section and head over there.

"Takano-san," I called out to him, "When you leave, make sure you shut the door okay? I already locked the door from the outside, so..." I paused when I see his shadow loom over me. "W-what is it?" Natural to me, I blush in nervousness.

"Aren't you mad at me?"

"For what?"

"What do you mean for what!" he shouted, "I mean for back then, you idiot!"

I cringed a bit due to the abrupt loudness. "O-oh... Well," I thought about it, "A little bit, I guess. It really hurt. In the aftermath though, I ended up here, so I'm okay... kind of."

"Kind of?"

"Th-the pain still lingers, you know? I understand that you were angry, and I forgive you for that, even if it did bring me into the worse days of my life."

I sigh. Living here, with all the time free to think and think about my life, I feel prepared on feelings like this.

"I'm sorry," he says after a while.

"I know," I say after I put up the last book for the day. I rolled the cart back into its place near the main desk. Looking up at the time, I looked to Takano-san. "It's getting late. You should go home now."

He looked up at the clock and frowned a bit. "No good now. I just missed the last train home."

"What?! Really?" I give him a disbelieving look. "You better not be lying! I-I know I don't go out but I'm aware of trains!"

"You are... aware of trains?"

"You know what I mean!" I look out the glass doors. "Do you want to call a cab?"

"I don't think cabs come around _here_ at this hour."

"Oh, right..." I think... I still have the futon out from when Misaki was here... "Do..." I look over at him, "Do you want to stay here for the night?"

He looks at me in surprise. "I can stay here?"

"Yeah," I nod happily. "It'll be strange having a different person other than Misaki sleep over, but I'm fine with it!" I look at him hopefully. "I never had another friend sleepover before!"

"..."

"...?"

"Friend?"

I nod. "Yes!"

At hearing nothing I look to see him looking troubled. "What is it?"

"You... You realize we technically didn't break up, right?"

"...Eh? I thought we did."

"We didn't."

"But it's been 10 years" I say, being logical, "We barely know each other now."

"..." He doesn't look happy.

"Everyone mostly start out as friends, right? Can't we just be friends now?"

"No." So blunt!

"W-why?"

"Because..." he stares at me seriously, "I've been in love with you for 10 years now."

"T-that's impossible." I try to stay logical. "We've changed."

"No."

"B-but..."

"I couldn't find you anywhere for all that time, you know how much hell that put me through?!"

"I-it's not my fault!" I counter.

He huffed and looked away. "I know," he comes over to me and hugs me close to him, "I just really missed you."

I blush, before I fidget and put my hands on his chest to push him away. Before I could though, I swear I just heard a thump somewhere and look around. "D-did you hear that?"

"What?" He still has me in his hold while I look around.

"I heard something drop in between the Manga and the Language sections," I manage to get out of his grasp and walk over there.

Suddenly, he grabs me from behind and holds me close. "You can stay here. I'll go check it out."

I pulled away. "It's fine, Takano-san. I feel nothing threatening." I have been here for so long, I can sense the atmosphere in here.

Finally arriving to the section, I look to see no disturbance until I hit my feet against something. Looking down, I see a big case of sorts. Lifting it up and remembering something I had read earlier, I deduced that it was a rather extravagant wooden doll case. Seeing something flicker I watched as a shiny card slipped off the case and fall to the ground.

Takano-san picked up, and as he did, the card flashed, and changed to a small square piece of parchment. I went closer to him to read what it has written on it.

'_Please take care of me. From the 9, I am the 3rd. I can be placed in future, I can be placed in the past, but forever I am placed in the present. What is my name?'_

"A bookmark...'Shiori'?" I guessed as he flipped the card front to back, finding nothing that indicated the answer.

* * *

**How was this...? **

**Is there anything I got wrong on the bookmark thing? Cause, I don't know it seemed right to me...**


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own anything other than the obvious OC's! (That are mainly the dolls)**

**How's the AU doing for you guys? **

***Hears nothing* **

**Crawls into a corner... It's fine, don't answer.**

**Warning: Language, and other stuff; not much. **

* * *

Ritsu POV

I wanted to open the doll case, but Takano-san told me not to until tomorrow.

And then we ended up here, lights out, on the futon... that was meant for only him.

...I don't even want to remember how he got me here.

Can he not see how flustered I am?! I can't sleep like this...

I turn away from him; maybe this will help if I don't face him. As I close my eyes and tried to sleep, I then hear rustling and turn back to the other side to see his faint silhouette take off the big shirt I lent him that fit him.

"W-what are you doing?!"

"It's hot," he complained.

"No, no! Put it back on!"

"Aren't you hot...?" he questioned as he put his hands under my shirt and I tried to squirm away from him as he felt around my sides, "You're totally sweating."

"Please don't touch me..."

I can hear him sigh as he laid back down; I turn away again and try my best to sleep.

* * *

Hmmm...?

Is it morning already? I keep my eyes closed; I can feel that my body is being constricted by something.

It's... it's really comfortable, and it smells nice for some reason; I snuggle more against it.

To my inner happiness it hugs me tighter against itself. As I regain more consciousness however, I realize that this 'it' is Takano-san.

I bite my lip as I open my eyes and look up to see that I'm tucked under his chin. "G-good morning, Takano-san..."

"..." He hugs me tighter, if possible. "Can we stay like this?"

"But, work...?"

"It's Saturday."

"I... I- The library opens today at ten."

"Then we have plenty of time to sleep in."

As I find myself against his chest I feel my heart beating fast. It beats even more when I hear that Takano-san's heartbeat is beating just as fast.

Is it okay like this? Is it? The feelings I feel...

I think I still love him... Maybe? No, not maybe... I...

I still love him. I'm pretty sure you don't feel this way towards someone you don't really know- and your friend.

...I _know_ Takano-san, but it's been 10 years. We have changed. Well, not a lot- I mean, I think that, no matter how much time has passed, you still have the same core.

Does he still feel the same way though?

No, of course he feels the same way, probably even more considering he's been looking for me all this time while I've been hiding in here away from reality.

It's different between us though, he probably went out with many people compared to me. Should I go date first to see what it's like?

But it's strange to think about that; I don't really want to date anybody else... Only Takano-san...

"..." I push myself away as I get up and walk out of the room. These emotions... I just have to go take a deep breath and run away for a while and hide in a corner.

"Ritsu?"

"I'm just going outside- not outside, _outside,_ but just the library outside outside!" I say in a fluster.

I can hear him catching up to me. "What's wrong?"

"N-nothing," I say, looking ahead of me," I just..." I trailed off as I see as something big and pink walk away from behind the shelves and towards our direction.

Why is there a guy in a rabbit costume here? My eyes go to his hands, wondering why he was holding a knife.

"Sir...? How did you get in?" I ask.

To my shock, the stitched in smile on his face grows wider as he says nothing.

"What are you looking at?" I looked at Takano-san as he asked that.

"You don't see him?" I say, glancing at the costumed man warily. I'm beginning to think that's not a man...

Takano-san frowned at me. "I can't see anything."

Oh, no... it's like one of those novels I read, but I know I'm not crazy as I now feel a disturbing aura filling this room.

Looking at Takano-san, I pushed him back towards the room. "Oh, I must be imagining things," I say, "Let's go back."

Glancing at the rabbit man as I stepped forward, I froze he took two steps towards me. I stop while Takano-san keeps going.

I step again, he comes even closer.

As a test I step back, and to my small relief, he stepped back to his original spot.

I realize then that I'm his target.

"Aren't you coming?" asked Takano-san.

"Oh, uh, just go on ahead, I see some books out of place."

"Do that later." I pale as I hear Takano-san walking towards me, and my eyes grow wide as I see the grin on the rabbit man grow creepily bigger.

"No, go back!" I shout, before quickly trying to reassure him quietly, "Please, just a few minutes."

"...Okay," he says, and I'm sure he knows something is up, but he doesn't have the slightest clue so he lets it slide.

Seeing that we were alone now, I find myself face to face with this strange entity.

* * *

Misaki POV

I watched as Usagi-san close himself up in his room again.

He's been so busy lately.

So busy and exhausted that he didn't even notice the doll sitting with us during our breakfast meal.

And she was talking to me too, he didn't even bat an eye!

How I met her? Her case fell straight on my stomach last night.

One of the rudest awakenings I ever had in my life.

"Hey, hey~!" I look down to the talking doll. She has short brown-blonde hair cut across her chin and two skinny, long braids in the back; her outfit was strangely cultural, and she told me that was based on a traditional dress somewhere in Europe. Her eyes are green- almost as green as mine, but more closer to Ritsu's color.

"What?" I ask.

"Guess my name yet?" After I didn't guess the first time, she just ran around looking at all of the apartment.

Oh, right; I take the piece of paper out of my pocket and look it over again.

_I like playing with thread. It's really pretty. I don't like scary people. I'm the 9th!_

Ah, that's right. I have no clue what it is.

"I'll give you a hint~!" She says, tugging on my pants. "My friends call me Mi sometimes!"

"Mi...? Mi..." Like the Mi in my name...?

I look at the paper again. That would mean... the other half of her name is in here?

Thread... that's Io... also like the cherry in a different context.

"Mio?" I guess.

I watch as she smiles and jumps happily. "Yay, yay! Master finally got my name right!"

Well, sorry that it takes a while for me.

I put my hand on her head to calm her down and keep her to the ground. "You can call me Misaki."

"Misaki...? Mi..mi?" She smiles. "Mimi!"

"No..."

"No Mimi?" she pouts. "Why no Mimi?"

"I'm a guy, Mio-chan..."

"No! Shio has a girly name, and he's a boy!"

"Shio? Is he another doll?"

She nodded. "Mm-hm. But he's older than me. He's seven."

"He's seven...?"

"Yeah! But," she gestures to her obvious doll joints, "We've been like this for a long time."

I feel a certain dread stab into my chest. "Were you guys not like this?"

She shook her head. "The big Meanie took us away and put our souls in here," she pointed to her chest. "I don't know where our real bodies are," she added in a small voice. "We can never find them."

That... "How old are you, Mio-chan?"

She smiles at me. "I'm four!" She held out three fingers before remembering the fourth.

"Wha... Four?!" That's just too young! How.. can... What kind of nut-job is this 'big Meanie'?!

"Don't worry, Master," she says quietly, hugging his leg, "We're used to it. We don't even want to find our bodies anymore."

I bent down to her level. "Why?"

"Cause people get hurt," she begins swaying her body childishly in a no, "So no more. But," She looks around, "He likes playing with us, so he sends his ugly dollies to mess with us and they're scary."

She nods. "They won't stop smiling, and their eyes are pitch black," she looks up at me, "It'll be okay though, Master. He doesn't really like playing with me. But I'm really worried for Shio; the big Meanie likes playing with him cause him and his masters are all in the same family."

"Same... family?"

"Mm-hm. Big Meanie is weird."

I feel more dread come to my chest as I dare to ask this. "Wh-what family is Shio in?"

"Onodera! I remember it cause it's funny to say sometimes."

Yeah, of course it would be someone I know.

* * *

Ritsu POV

It feels like time has stopped. Just me and him, and NOT in that romantic context.

I shudder. Never.

"Yoouuu..."

It can talk?! "W-what?" I ask.

"Yoouu... have you gotten cuter or is it just me...?"

What. The. Hell.

"Excuse me...?"

"Of courrrsseee, though~ Shiori is definitely cuter!"

"Shiori?" I look at the desk, knowing from last night I put the doll case behind there out of sight.

"Waa... Where is Shiori~? I juustttt... Wanna go and staaaree at him~"

This is so creepy. I can't help but shudder again, and to my horror, he notices.

"You... haavvee, deeeffinnitely gotten cuter, so shy and sensitive to room temporature~!"

"N-no..." I assure you, it's not the room temperature...

"Yesss~! Why are all Onodera's so cute?"

"O-onodera?"

"Yes! Ah, aaallll these yearssss... All of you will be with me forever~! Say it with me! Forever~!"

"No... No thank you..."

"Aaawwww, so always the polite one~"

I really want to run away, oh so much...

To my inner relief, Misaki comes in holding a big shopping bag, looking very rushed. He looks at me. "Are you okay?!"

I just point to the creepy bunny.

"That's the dollie!" I look to see that the voice belonged to the doll popping out from the bag and I look at Misaki.

"You too?!"

"Yeah," he says, nodding. He then looks at the doll. "How do you get rid of him, Mio-chan?"

He set the bag down and carried her out of it. She then faces the rabbit guy-thing. "We have to find the core-thingy! Its in a different place each time though..."

Then, we watch as she materializes a needle about the same length as her along with a huge roll of thread with a handle at the top. "I'll go get the knife away from it," she looks at us, "And then we just beat him up."

Misaki POV

"We beat him up?" I echo after her.

"Yep! When we hit the core, he'll disappear." After saying that, she runs at the bunny, her thread tied to the needle.

Right as she came close though, the bunny immediately used the knife to pin part of her dress and slapped her away against the wall.

That was... so sudden.

"Wah...!" She runs to me and hugs legs, shaking, "I thought I was going to crack! He also ripped my dress!"

I go and hold her in my arms, patting her back as she cried with out tears against my shoulder.

Well, she is only four on the inside...

Looking at the dollie to see his next movement, I find him staring beside me. I look his direction, only to see Ritsu looking strangely pissed off.

"Ritsu?" I say, seeing as he was glaring at something near the dollie. Following his line of sight, I see that when the dollie pinned Mio-chan's thread, the knife had stuck itself to the nearby shelf...

Oh...

I step back as Ritsu walked to the dollie.

"Oy." I look behind me to see that... Who was he... Takano?

"What is it...?" I ask.

"Why is he walking looking so pissed off at a shelf?" he questions, pointing to Ritsu.

"The dollie, he-"

"What?" Can... can he not see it?

I feel Mio-chan lifting up her head, sniffing a little. Takano looks at her in surprise as she talks to me. "He can't see it. A lot of people can't. Sometimes your eyes don't show you what's really in front of you unless you really focus."

"Focus?" Takano says, and I think he said that as a challenge. He looks over at Ritsu again as I do as well.

To my surprise, the dollie looked really... stunned.

"That shelf is around a century old!" scolds Ritsu as he reached out to really pinch both of the dollie's ears hard, "How are you going to pay for that?!"

"Oohh... It huurrts, but it feells so heaveenllyyy~"

This thing's an M?!

Ritsu then kicked him in the stomach.

It just let him hit it. "Ohh... Do it again~"

"This bastard..." I mutter, creeped out and disgusted at the same time.

"What did it say?" asks Takano, who still can't see it, but seemed to have gotten an idea.

"Oh... It..." I decided to just say, "The thing's an M, I think."

Mio-chan gestured Takano to look at her. "It... It says... 'so heaveenllyyy~' and 'Do it again~'" I bite back a laugh at how funny she sounded trying to mimic it.

"Did it?" Takano says, looking angry.

"Why so angry...?" I ask as he walks past me to Ritsu.

Then he punches the dollie straight in the neck. To my surprise, a strange black blob comes out and disappears.

"That was it!" says Mio-chan.

So that was why it sounded so drunk?

Ritsu POV

"How did you know where it was, Takano-san?" Can he see it now?

He looks at me. "Huh? Oh, I was just pissed at it," he looks around, "Did I get it?"

Wow, this guy...

* * *

**I don't know why, but I wanted to try and be even remotely funny. **

***Down the ground on my knees and hands* Forgive me! **


	4. Chapter 4

**I don't own anything other than the obvious OC's! (That are mainly the dolls)**

**Happy July 4th! **

**I was already typing this with the last chapter, so I was like, I'll just post this.**

* * *

2nd Person POV

Dark blue eyes stare at the Cloudy gray ones hiding under his bed. It's been an hour.

He didn't know what to do; she seems so afraid of him. Even more than the cat napping on top of the bed.

Maybe, her last owner, he...

No, he didn't want to think about it. It made him want to punch a wall.

"Please, come out," he pleads. "I have to go visit a friend at the library to give him a new change in clothes," he decides then to try and start conversing, "Do you like to read?"

She nods hesitantly. "But... I like reading with Shio..." He could see that if she had warmth she would blush.

"Do you like Shio?"

She nodded.

"Maybe when we go out, we can find him."

"We can...?"

"There is a chance. This city is big."

"You... You are a good person." He watches as she crawls slowly out of the bed and stands up.

She is only wearing a simple white dress, and he can see that some parts of her arms and legs were a bit indented. Holding out her hand to him, she gave him the piece of paper that she grabbed after he had woken her up from her slumber.

_As time passes, it can only build up. It is everything that moves you forward. Despite part of its ugliness, its beauty shines differently for each person. I am the 6th. _

He looked at her questionably.

"What is my name?" she asks.

"Oh." He continues to look at the paper. "Everything that moves you forward..." he looks at her, "Is what happens to you- what you learned to get there."

She nods happily.

"That would be your knowledge... or from that other sentence... wisdom?" He thinks a bit more. "They... they have 'Chi' in them... Does it end in 'Chi'?"

She shakes her head.

He looked at the paper again. _Beauty..._ "Beautiful...That would be '-Mi'... But then, wisdom, 'Chie' would make more sense in the spelling..."

After a while in thought, he looks at her for approval. "Chiemi?"

She nods, all the while hugging his legs, "Good job, Master!" She looks up at him, "What's your name?" she asks, holding out her hand to shake.

Shaking her hand gently as he could in fear of breaking her he says, "Yokozawa Takafumi, and" he gestures to the sleeping cat, "his name is Sorata."

Taking his chance to look at her more carefully, he notices the messy state of her dark hair. "Your hair," he begins, and he watches as she put her hands to her cheeks in an 'oh' and runs to her case which lay on the floor. Out of her case she brings an ornate brush, a pin, and a dark brown ribbon to him.

"...Can you help me? I... I want a side braid, but I can't hold my hair the way I want it. My hands are small."

"Got it," he replied, taking the brush and trying delicately to smoothen the tangles in her hair.

After a while, she giggled softly.

"What is it?" he asks.

"It's really strange," she put her hands together shyly and says softly, "Of all the people who brushed my hair, you're the only one who feels like Mama..."

At this, Takafumi would normally deny it with an attitude, but seeing as the doll slouched a little at the mention, he felt concerned. "You're mother? Were you not always a doll?"

She nodded. "I was six when me and my twin cousin were taken away... We've been like this for a long time with Shio and the others." Sitting on the ground she played with the ends of her dress. "I'm even surprised I still remember Mama..."

"Oh..." Looking at her dented arms, he asks after a few moments. "Your arms..."

"That... I'm not fond of men," she shuddered, "Certain men..."

"Yeah, I understand."

"I'm sorry I thought you were one."

"Don't apologize. You have every right; I just wish I can go beat them for you."

She laughed a little. "Thank you... I'm glad though, I was the only one," she shuddered, "If Mi had gotten the people I had..."

"Mi?"

"Mio. She's the youngest of all of us. She's four."

"Four?!"

"It's frightening, isn't it? I hope her Master this round is a kind one that doesn't spoil her. It's quite complicated to talk with her if she gets spoiled after a certain amount of time."

"Masters... What are our roles exactly?"

"In the past, we would create contracts through rings- you would be able to use our power to fight and find our real bodies but it would take energy out of you."

"Fight?"

"After a while, the man who set us like this, he sends things to 'play' with us; people get gravely hurt because only Masters and us can see them, or very 'aware' individuals. That's why, in the last few games to this one, we are not creating contracts. It isn't worth all that to find our bodies."

"But then, what are you guys going to do? Just drift?"

"I suppose so. We are more curious though, with the man who set us like this. He wants us to find him and defeat him for our bodies. But our bodies, they are probably long gone- we don't know if he is speaking the truth. If it is not, it is fighting for a lost cause."

"Do you know his name?"

"No... we know nothing other than he took us, separated us from our bodies, and put us in our doll bodies. Our abilities though, is a mystery; even he was surprised at our first fight- we are assuming that we have outside help but we don't know whom."

"I see..."

"Oh, and he is very obsessed with Shio... and his family."

"What about them?"

"We don't know. Shio's masters are always someone from his family, the man likes to pick on them first each time. We really wonder who he is..."

"What is the name of Shio's family?"

"Onodera, I think."

"Hmm... that sounds familiar-" he looked next to him to see that his cell phone is ringing. "Hello?"

It was his good friend, Takano Masamune. "Where are you?"

"Oh, I'm still at home."

"Then get your ass over here as soon as you get my clothes."

"Got it, got it. Oh, and hey, what was with that picture yesterd-"

"Erase it from your mind. Bye." Hanging up, he cursed the person responsible for that embarrassing photo.

He hasn't seen them a week since then.

"Picture?" questioned Chiemi.

"Oh no, it's nothing."

"..." She stares at him.

"I am not breaking."

"... It was _nothing_, right?"

"..."

"..."

He sighs, "I was wearing a contrasting red and white polka-dotted apron."

She looks at him, silently examining him for a moment. "For you, wouldn't it be endearingly adorable?"

"Hell no," in an attempt to drift the conversation, he looked to the brush in his hands, "Where did you get this brush anyway?"

"I had this one master," she begins, going along with it, "Who was kind to me; she gave this to me along with the clip and the ribbon. Afterwards, I always kept it safe in my case away from... certain men."

"I see," he lifted the brush to her hair again, "Well, face the other side so I can braid this so we can leave."

"Okay."

"You know, you go from shy to talkative very quickly."

"It varies with topics, and how close I feel with the person. You're a very nice person- and you get shy over strangely adorable things."

"No, it's embarrassing."

"Then, don't let it be embarrassing."

"You act so sure on that advice, but there are things for you that are embarrassing, right?"

"..." He looked to see her pout.

"So, you do..."

"...I, I suppose that, if I were caught wearing something like what you wore that contrasted me... I would be very embarrassed."

"Heh...Hyprocrite."

"..." she pouted again, "As least _I'll_ be cuter in it."

He couldn't help but smile at her attempt to come back at him. "True."

"But you know, you are cute. If that apron was blue it would look better with your eyes."

"...No."

* * *

**Any thoughts on this yet?**

**I'm quite fond of this AU.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hiya! I don't own anything, I mean this is fanfiction. Shouldn't there be an automatic disclaimer unless it's OC's? **

**Like, really.**

* * *

Shiori POV

I hear it, the sound of my case being opened.

Will it happen again, another family member denying me? I don't understand what had happened...

For these past years, they tell me nothing and keep me away in the dark until it comes for the time that I'd be sent back into the 'Waiting Room'. Then that man will come and play with us after a long period of peace along with those disturbing existences that watch you with their crazed pitch-black eyes and unfaltering smiles.

How long is that man planning to keep us like this?

Suddenly, I feel a hesitant hand stroking my extremely dark hair, its appearance looking black, but obviously dark, dark, dark brown. Two hands then lift me up and put me in a standing slouch position, and I knew automatically that the person is going to put my wind-up key into the hidden hole in my back.

Why is it so quiet?

* * *

Ritsu POV

I hope I'm not breaking anything...

Looking out, I can see that it's evening now. The library will close soon, but it is empty already, so I already locked the doors.

It's strange, being somewhat alone like this; it was so lively earlier, before Misaki was asked to go back after disappearing so abruptly, and Takano-san's friend marching in frustrated and dragging him out, something about changing the lock and a cat.

Cats... For some reason, they don't like me... Hikase told me once that it was because of how I held myself in front of cats, that my hesitation to approach them was something they didn't like.

So I guess that means they like confident people then...?

Then again, everybody and everything is different; maybe, just maybe, there is a cat out there that will like me.

Out of my thoughts as a hear a ticking noise, I look to see that I already winded up the doll, and now it is time for me to let go.

Shiori... he really does resemble that ancestor of mine who disappeared as a child. I shivered; it can't be- that's like some sort of twisted family mystery thing, and too much of a coincidence. I shake my head and watch as he wakes up.

His outfit consisted of a white dress shirt, a dark green vest over it along with dark green pants; the vest is dark brown on the back, two pockets at the bottom of the front held a golden chain between them and across a button. Maybe he has a pocket watch?

He moved so slowly, I hope I didn't break him or anything.

After a seconds, he stands straight, opening his eyes slowly; it was as green as mine. When I look at his eyes, I also notice that his dark hair is parted like mine was when I was younger.

Technically, he's older than me... Should I put '-san' at the end? Or is that strange?

Oh, he's turned and is looking at me now! "U-uh... Hello, S-Shiori...san, or Shiori? I'm sorry, this is a first for me..."

He just blinks at me, his head tilting slowly to the side.

"W-what?" I ask, "Is there something on me?"

"No, it's just-" He's talking! "-you look so much like my brother."

"I... I do?" I remember the photo; I really do look like him huh? But, he seemed more...

"Yes, but my brother was a bit more... confident looking."

"Yeah." I thought so...

He bowed to me. "I am Shiori. What is your name?"

I bowed back. "O-onodera Ritsu. To the outside though, I'm Oda Ritsu, the owner of this library." Hikase said to use his last name for mostly everything, and so no one from my family can find me...

"You... you use a different name?"

"Yes... I," Will he be angry? "..I cut myself off from m-our family, ten years ago for personal reasons. My grandfather's friend took me in, taught me everything he knew, and sort of adopted me. My name still is Onodera, but with the library and everything else," I sigh, "My name is officially now Oda, but I still say Onodera at times privately.

"I see..." Oh no, he looks so disappointed...

"I'm sorry, but I just couldn't take it... My parents, have been always keeping me from things and I just became fed up among other things and-"

"No, no...! Don't apologize. For the past years now," Shiori goes to sit down on the desk, his legs hanging off the edge, "The family has been becoming more and more to themselves; I'm glad though, I'm not the only one who doesn't like it."

"They're not all like that though, my cousins are a bit outgoing- I found out recently in the news that my cousin Mitsuru is going to take over instead of me and he's pretty open and talkative."

"Is that so?"

"Yes, and my grandfather was open as well, my parents though, disapproved of him; that was one of the reasons I left."

He smiled. "I see, I see..."

For some reason, he now seems pained; maybe this topic is becoming too much?

I closed his case and carried off the desk and headed toward my living space. "Let's go inside, I'll show you around later."

* * *

Shiori POV

"So you've not stepped outside for all these ten years?"

"Y-yes... I, I just can't see myself ever going out there again. It's safer in here."

Safer...? Examining him more closely, he is quite the delicate young man. Quite sensitive too, for something that long ago to keep him cooped up.

Like a bird afraid of flying, preferring to stay in his cage, his safe haven.

Watching everyone around him move out to different places, the contentment of being able to stay where he was within the unchanging environment...

Now though, that can't happen anymore. Sitting across from him on the counter as he ate his dinner, I feel worried.

He can't stay in one place, especially with the variety of personality and skill the man's minions have. They'll want to break him, pluck his feathers one by one...

"Ritsu...?"

As he looks up at me from his food and smiles, I couldn't help but be reminded of my brother and smiled back.

"What is it, Shiori...san?"

"Oh, no '-san' for me, Ritsu. I'm only six." Though my soul is otherwise...

"That's..."

"It's fine, just Shiori. Do you have any contact outside of here?"

"Ah! That's right!"

"What is it?"

"My friend Misaki, he has Mio with him."

"Mio? Is she alright? What about everyone else?"

"She's alright, Misaki is a kind person. We haven't found anyone else yet."

"Well, that's good for now. I hope we find everyone soon though. This Misaki, she doesn't spoil Mio, does she?"

"Misaki's a boy."

"Oh, I... I'm sorry..." I haven't met a boy named Misaki before...

"It's fine, he gets that a lot. I only just met her this morning, I don't really know..."

"It's okay. Just that Mio tends to lose it a bit when she get's spoiled for a long time. When we all play house together, everyone often yells at me for being to soft to her."

"Eh... There's nothing wrong with spoiling once in a while... What happens when she loses it?"

"That... she, does unnatural things..."

I can't help but smile. It's been a long time since I had an actual conversation with a family member.

* * *

3rd Person POV

"Time to sleep, time to sleep," mumbled Misaki as he made his way to his room. Hearing light snores, he looked towards the direction of his landlord's room.

_'He must be so tired, he still didn't notice Mio-chan one yet,' _Misaki thought as he turned to enter his room, and collided with something hard, a hit to his stomach.

"Ack..! Mio-chan, please don't do that!" He grabbed the said doll attached to his stomach and put her on the ground.

"Sorry! But, but..." She raised her arms up to him, and looked at him expectantly.

"What..?" _'Does... does she want me to carry her?'_ After a few seconds, he bent down and picked her up.

She laid her head against him, her smile happy as she did so. "Sleepy time! G'Night!" At this, he put her back down and she looked up at him in confusion.

"Don't you normally sleep in your case?"

She swayed her body in a 'no'.

"Ah, but you want to be a big girl, right?" She nodded. "I'm in here, so just sleep in your case by yourself."

"But... but..." He tried his best not to feel bad as she began to pout miserably at the ground.

"C-come on!" He held her hand and guided her to her case.

Mio simply stood pouting in front of the case, refusing to go sleep in it.

"Fine then..." He went to turn off the lights and get into bed. After a few moments, he looked over to see her still standing in the dark, pouting.

He just felt more horrible when he noticed her shaking a little due to being a little bit afraid of the dark.

"Gah..." He gestured her over, "Come here."

In the dark, he can see her smiling happily, and she goes to him, her little arms outstretched to him so he can help her up to the bed. "Geez," he put the blanket over them and settled back to sleep as she cuddled against him," Good night."

She cuddled even more against him. "G'Night, Mommy."

Misaki's eyes opened, and he looked down to his chest at her. "What?"

She smiled at him. "When we went to the store real quick after Usa-san called, I saw something pretty and went to get a closer look-"

"Why?! You could've gotten lost?" Why had he not noticed her leaving?!

She continues. "And I got lost, then a lady found me, and she asked me 'where my mommy was,'" she beamed at him, "You're my Mommy!"

"N-no! I'm a guy! Guys can't be a mommy!"

She cocked her head to the side. "You can't?"

He nods. "Only ladies can be a mommy."

"But... but..." she pouted. "Why?"

"W-why, you ask?" He has to think of something... "W-what about your old masters? One of them has had to have been a mother..."

"Mother?" She seemed to put two and two together, "Mother is Mommy?"

He nods again. "Yep. You finally got i-"

She hugged him close. "You're Mommy."

"Eh?"

"G'Night, Mommy..."

"Wait! Wait a minute...! Why?!"

She looked up at him before putting her head against his chest. "Mommies are warm and nice. Mommy takes care of children and cooks for Daddy. So you're Mommy."

"What kind of conclusion is that?!"

She doesn't respond to him.

After a moment of silence, he gives up and sighs before trying to go back to sleep. "Fine, but don't call me Mommy in front of Usagi-san."

"...Daddy?"

"No! No! Don't say that in front of him. Please," he begged.

"Okay..." she mumbled, falling asleep.

* * *

Masamune POV

Sleep, sleep, sleep.

I roll to my back on the bed.

Can't sleep, want Ritsu. The warmth of his body, his scent, the feel of his hair, his skin...

Ritsu. I look up in the dark to the ceiling.

Finally, I find him after so long, and find that he's been shut in a library for the ten years I've been searching for him.

Now, to get him out of that library...

I remember that conversation with Yokozawa earlier. Stringing me along... like Ritsu would do that.

Good thing I told him otherwise, making him think. He's a good friend, but his perceptions of others are rather questionable...

I roll to my stomach. I want Ritsu so much.

Won't be that easy though, with what I did to him, he has every right to deny me again but...

I remember this morning; we definitely still love each other. Even if he is trying to friend zone me to an appropriate distance. Screw the order of building a relationship, we already have the basics, minus some things, a lot things...

Sighing, I roll back to my back. I'll make it up to you, Ritsu, somehow...

I'll never, never, ever let you go again.

Now that I think about it, he has no cell phone...

Rolling back to my stomach, I sigh contently into my pillow. Good thing tomorrow is Sunday.

* * *

**Woooo! Weekends are fun. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi~! **

**Thank you for reviewing, you all who did! I hope you continue to have interest in it!**

**To the guest Reviewer, thank you as well; to what you typed, I sort of see it in an anime/manga layout in my head at times, so I try to use that the best I can. Yeah, I'll try to put JR in it a little bit more, after all, I haven't introduced to you guys ALL the masters and dolls yet. :p**

**If you guys don't know what Rozen Maiden is, you should go check it out! The dolls in here though, they don't eat or drink like the Rozen dolls do, or have artificial spirits...**

**I don't own anything, I mean this is fanfiction. Shouldn't there be an automatic disclaimer unless it's OC's? By the way, the OC's are mine.**

* * *

3rd Person POV

Usami Akihiko didn't know what to think at this moment.

Oh, no... he did. Finally energized for the day, this Sunday, the first thing that came to mind was to go and wake up his lover and possibly ravish him for a few hours. As he walks into Misaki's room though, he comes face to face with something he did not expect.

_'Why does Misaki have that...?' _He glared as the little doll snuggles up to his Misaki. The glare becomes even more intense as Misaki himself hugs the doll closer to him.

Not taking that, he goes over to get the little girl and put it back into the case next to the bed; before he could even grab it though, the first word he hears from the doll as she cuddles closer to Misaki changes his perspective on the situation.

"Mommy..."

Akihiko just blinks... and blinks.

He watches as she wakes up seconds later, a dazed look on her face, and she sees him. Rubbing an eye with one hand and another still gripping on Misaki, her head cocks slightly to the side.

"...Daddy?"

Again, Akihiko blinks and stares.

His lover has a lot to explain to him when he wakes up. Such is the life of Takahashi Misaki.

* * *

Ritsu POV

I turn my head and look around, a sensation creeping up my spine. Shiori looks curiously at me. "What's wrong?"

"It was strange... I just suddenly felt worried for Misaki."

"What's wrong with him?"

"That's just it," I shrug. "I don't know."

Right now, we're in the garden dome for breakfast. Shiori can't eat technically, so it's just me eating seated on a stone bench while the food and Shiori sit on the stone table.

"Oh, Ritsu?"

"Hm?"

"Are you ever going to change your name back?"

"Back to what?"

"Onodera."

"Not anytime soon, I think. If I did my family would find me. Also, Hikase told me an 'Oda' had always owned this library. So, it's sort of like a tradition... Ah, well, I still have a habit of going by Onodera when I introduce myself..."

"Did Hikase have no family?"

I feel a slight prickle on my heart. "N-no, he has a brother, and his brother has children, maybe one grandchild- that's about it. Other than that, he was close to my grandfather... and I was like family too..."

"How come his brother doesn't take over?"

"That... Hikase told me that they had a fight when they were younger and that his brother had no intention of owning the library." I look to see Shiori looking at the ceiling of the dome that consisted of clear, strong glass that allowed you to see the sky. There seems to be something on his mind though. "What's wrong?"

He looks down at the ground now. "There's nothing but..." He looks at me, his face serious.

"You can't stay in here forever."

I feel a chill running down my spine as he says that. "W-what...?"

"That dollie from the other day... they are not all the same."

"Not all the same...?"

"Some of them like chasing, and staying in here like this, how are we supposed to be able to find everyone else and their masters? And what if Misaki and Mio need help and we aren't there?"

"..." I stare back at my food, and pick at it while I go through my thoughts.

I... I had those thoughts running through my mind last night. I don't want Misaki or Mio to get hurt, or anyone getting hurt on that matter. But, it's so scary, the thought that I have to go out there.

It was hard enough those ten years ago coming here to Hikase. I shiver and clench my feet as I remember the pained sensation of my tacked feet.

Why do bullies in high school like putting tacks in shoes? What sort of sick satisfaction do you get from it?

I know those days are long gone now, but the pain stays fresh in my mind.

I don't want to go out there. Never, ever...

But they need our help. I'm part of something potentially dangerous now, and I can't hide from it.

Also, I want to help Shiori and the rest get their bodies back!

So they can finally grow, live a normal life, fall in love, and give their families closure- wait...

If Shiori becomes human again, where does he go after that? I mean, he can stay with me, but how would you do the paperwork for that? Hmm...

"Ritsu?" Shaking out my thoughts, I look to Shiori.

"What is it?" I ask.

"I.. I know you're not really ready to go outside, and I don't know what you had gone through, but I'll try my best to help."

"Shiori..."

He laughs a bit. "It's strange..."

"What?" I look at him curiously.

"Compared to my brother, you and me are sort of alike in a way, we... we just have things that hold us back, and we think... and think... and we end up not really doing anything until way later."

"T-Then, should we just do without thinking?"

"No, thinking is important. We just need to let our burdens and fears go."

"Let them go?"

He nods at me, his face smiling. "Yes, just let them go."

* * *

Takano POV

"Oy, Yokozawa. Open the damned door!" I kick Yokozawa's door. After ten times, why doesn't he open it? He's not the one to go out so early...

He texted me earlier and I was to go pick up Sorata before I go see Ritsu, so what gives? Did he get sick or something?

I then hear a muffled meow at the other side of the door. "Sorata?" Another meow.

That's it. I bring out the spare key he gave me and use it.

Going in, I look down to see Sorata coming to greet me. I bend down and stroke his ears. "Hi, how are you...?" Getting back up I look around to see and hear no other living being. Was he not here?

There was that strange feeling as well, like someone was watching me. Oh, don't tell me one of those dollies or whatever followed me here. I don't know what they looked like, but they seemed to be about the size as us.

I look down at Sorata. "There isn't anything strange in here, is there? Like a weirdo dollie-thingie?"

"Dollie?" whispered something from the kitchen. I look in that direction.

"Anyone there?" I ask. It didn't sound like Yokozawa.

Before I walk towards there though, I watch as Sorata goes to nap on the couch, and I see something run by my peripheral vision. My eyes narrow as Yokozawa's bedroom door moves a little.

Going into his bedroom, my eyes rest on the empty case on top of his bed.

So that means Yokozawa is like Ritsu and the Misaki kid...

Seeing that no one was in here that I can see, the doll is probably here and hiding. I guess I'll try something...

I take out my phone and type in the phone number to Ritsu's library. I really need to get him a cell phone.

"Hello?"

Hm, that isn't Ritsu's voice. "Shiori?" I say, and hear something moving under the bed.

"Takano-san? What is it?"

"Where's Ritsu?"

"On the couch in the library. He passed out."

"What happened?"

"He tried walking outside."

"And he fainted?" I can't believe this, and yet it makes sense...

"Yes, and he only made it about an inch outside. I think it was also the heat that hit him." Should I go buy a parasol for him when we go out? If he's that delicate...

"I see," I look at the bed, "Oh, hey, the others like you and Mio," another movement I hear from under the bed, "I think I found one."

"Really? Who?"

"I don't know, right now they're hiding under my friend's bed. Here, I put it on speaker and you can talk to them."

Holding the cell phone near the bed, I wait.

"Hello?" asked Shiori. "Shizukesa? Chiemi? Riemi? Haruka? Kotone? Hibiki? Can you answer me?"

I watch as a dark haired doll, her hair to one side in a braid, crawls out in a white dress and takes the phone from my hands. She answers the phone looking a bit troubled about something.

"Why is Shizu-chan's the first name you say?!" I see, that must not be her name... someone's jealous. I hold back a snicker.

"Chiemi?! Are you okay?"

"I'm okay, but why did you say Shizu-chan's name first?"

"Shizukesa? I was just listing out names at the top of my head. Why?"

"I-it's nothing..."

"You're new master isn't abusive is he? You can live with me and my master, if you want." I frown as I hear that, and looking carefully, I can see dents on her arms. Some men and their sick hobbies...

"No, no! He's a nice person... He's out right now buying a dress with sleeves for me." So that's where he went. I guess he thought he could make it back before I came.

"That's good. I already met Mio, did you meet anyone yet?"

"No, not yet," she looks at me as she continues to talk to him with my phone in her hands, "How do you know this man?"

"Takano-san? He-"

I butt in. "I'm in love with his master."

"... Eh?!" the dolls exclaimed in sync. They sound so surprised...

"I did not know this, Takano-san!" Shiori says from the other line, while Chiemi just looks at me. "But you're both men..."

"So what?" I challenge.

"...N-nothing. Anyway, Chiemi, you can trust him; he can't see the dollies though- but he did defeat one the other day."

She looks at me in surprise. "You did?!"

"Yeah." I wanted to beat it up more though...

* * *

Takafumi POV

I never thought it would be this hard to find a doll shop. I look at my watch; how am I going to get back in time? I promised her I'd get back with a dress too.

It's hot out here too... Finding a seat on the bench, I think of where to go. I should have researched this before I left...

Hiyori doesn't really have dolls with dresses Chiemi's size, and it was weird enough asking her about dolls. Maybe he should go shop in a baby store...? Chiemi was about the size... maybe bigger...

Something then hits me in a leg, and I look down to see a ball. "Arrrff!" I look up to see a- "A wolf..?!" How can one be here...?! Then, I see the blue collar around his neck and relax. It won't bite, right? As it goes down to get the ball, I hear someone.

"I'm sorry!" I look up to see a young woman run towards me. She has long dark brown hair tied to the side, and was dressed in a yellow sundress. Why would you wear and run in that if you're playing with such a huge gray dog?

"No, it's fine. What breed is that anyway?"

"Hehe, think it was a wolf? Mitsu's a Tamaskan," the woman answers, taking the ball from the dog.

"A Tamaskan?"

"Tamaskan's look very close to a wolf, but don't worry. He's a sweetheart, unless I tell him to sick you of course," she says, smiling at me.

"I.. I see." Well, I won't try and get you angry.

She looks at me curiously with her blue eyes. "Are you lost or something?"

"No. I live around here." Like hell I'd get lost.

"Eh, really? I thought you were trying to lose him or something and got lost from where I was watching."

"Him?"

She points behind me. "Near that tree over there." I follow her finger to see that near a tree about a good distance away, was someone in a white and pink striped bear costume with a white bow around it's neck.

It's eyes were creepy though. "What the hell..." I stand up, "What's his problem?"

"He's been there since you sat here. I noticed him walking here, and when he stopped near that tree, that's when I saw that he was watching you." She then looked at the bear suspiciously, "Want Mitsu to sick him?"

"That..." I look down to the dog, and to my surprise, he seemed to nod at her words, and growled in the direction of the costumed person.

"I trained at my Grandpa's dojo too, so I can kick some ass a bit," she added.

"No," I begin walking towards it, "I'm just going to ask what his problem is."

* * *

3rd Person POV

"Hey, I see another one." Small feet tiptoe upwards to see better from where she is standing, "This guy's going up to it, and this girl and her dog."

"I thought you said most people can't see them."

"Well obviously they aren't part of the most people; should we go now?"

She watches as her master stands up, but not before carrying her into his arms. "Sure."

"Isn't it better to put me in your bag first so people won't see you carrying me?"

"We're close enough, and when we get there, you can just beat it up quickly like you always do before anyone notices."

"Okay. I hope one of them is a master though. Maybe Chiemi is with one of them."

The blond-brown haired young man looks over at the confrontation taking place. "Maybe. We can't stay for too long though, or the old man is going to ask questions."

"It's fine if he knows about me."

"I don't want him involved though, you know that, Rie."

"Yeah, I know. Let's just go then. Are will still going to go pick up Shizu?"

"That man's lover is back, so yeah. He can't find out."

"But he likes kids, right? He'd be fine with us."

"Kamijou's not on board with that, so no. Also, they'll probably want to be together alone."

"Ooh... Doing naughty things?"

He flicks her on the forehead. "Don't give me such imagery!"

She rubs her head and giggles a bit. "Sorry~"

"Sorry my ass."

* * *

**This story has been in my head... **

**I feel sorry for my other stories... **

**Gah...**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello~!**

**I don't own anything other than the obvious OC's.**

* * *

3rd Person POV

Sitting on the couch with Mio hugging Suzuki-san playfully, Misaki stared blankly into space from the events that transpired just ten seconds before:

_"Chibi-tan~," Isaka Ryuuichirou called out to him as Aikawa Eri pulled a too-stunned-to-be-pissed-off-because-they-just-cam e-out-from-nowhere Akihiko out into the car for a awards ceremony. _

_Sitting on the couch with Mio hiding under Suzuki-san as he sat on her, Misaki reluctantly replied, "What is it...?"_

_He stiffened as the Director of Marukawa Publishing smiled at him. "Bring by Mio sometime; Wataru's been looking for a friend."_

_"Ah... okay..."_

_Ryuuichirou continues to smile at him._

_Suddenly realizing the implications of the exchange, Misaki looks at him in shock. "...Eh?!"_

_"Well, see you later!"_

Misaki continued to stare at nothing while Mio looked at him worriedly. "Mommy?"

His movements were stiff as he turned to her. "Mio-chan, who is Wataru?"

Her eyes brightened at the name. "Wata's like a big sis to all of us! She's really smart, tall, and really pretty."

"...Tall?"

"Well, shorter than Suzu, but taller than all of us."

"Oh, that makes sense... how old is she?"

"She's eleven. She's the 1st doll."

At this, his earlier stiffness became relaxed as he looked at her questionably. "Is the doll number according to age?"

"No... It's the order of who become dolls from 1 to 9. Shio was taken first, but he became a doll after Wata and Haru."

"I see." Misaki looked at the time, "Should we go see Ritsu and Shiori?"

"Yay!" He watched as she got off the couch and tried to reach the door handle to get out of the living room, "Let's go!"

* * *

3rd Person POV

Masamune held back some worry as he looks at Ritsu. "You know, if you really can't do this-"

"I-I can do it!" Ritsu says, holding on to one of the front doors for dear life, ready to set foot outside. It honestly scared Masamune when he arrived and saw Ritsu knocked out and pale on the couch.

"You can do it!" cheered Chiemi from the desk sitting next to Shiori. Masamune had decided to bring her along with Sorata, who was currently napping on the couch. He was sure Takafumi wouldn't be that angry that he took both of them without a notice.

"Remember," begins Shiori, "Whatever was holding you back then, it no longer exists to trouble you physically."

Ritsu nods at this, and squeezes his eyes shut as he moves his legs forward. To be careful, Masamune had an umbrella out to block him from the sunlight and save him from extra heat.

Upon feeling the imaginary tacks on his feet Ritsu flinches, and rushes forward, grabbing onto Masamune for support. As he kept whispering to himself the tacks didn't exist, he didn't notice the stares Masamune was giving him. After a few moments though, he realizes. Blushing, he lets go, his eyes averting to the ground.

"I'm sorry..."

"..." Ritsu freezes as Masamune suddenly reaches out to hug him, "I don't mind things like this."

"But we're outside," Ritsu mumbles, feeling embarrassed.

"So?"

Ritsu pushes him away a little, still gripping onto his arm as he tries to stand properly and look around. "People are going to stare..."

"Let them, although," Masamune gazes around, "There's not really anybody around here today."

* * *

3rd Person POV

"Is there a problem?" Takafumi asks the bear as they walked close.

The bear simply just stares.

"Hey..." says the girl, and Takafumi turns to her, "I don't think it's human."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

She went up closer and looked front and behind it, touching it at certain places. "I don't feel a person under this, and it has no zippers, or any openings for a person to breathe through."

"Oy, don't just go touching it!" scolds Takafumi, grabbing the girl's arm and pulling her back.

"Sorry-!" Takafumi pulls her away even further as something flashed towards them and the bear jumps back as it avoids the object.

"What the hell..." Takafumi trails off as he sees that the object thrown was a hoop, now stuck in the ground where the bear once was.

"Oh, man," he looked to see a familiar looking doll in a large white T-shirt (big for her) walk up to it along with a young man, "I missed."

"Chiemi?" says Takafumi to the doll.

He watched as she turns to him, a smile forming on her face. "You know Chiemi? Are you her master?" Temporarily forgetting the bear she runs to him, her small hands tugging on his pants. "Are you?"

"Ye-yeah..." Looking closer at the doll, Takafumi can see that this doll, while looking smiliar to Chiemi, has a braid straight down her back instead of Chiemi's side braid.

"That's great!" She looks over at her master, "Guess what? He has Chiemi!"

Takafumi watched as the young man, who had gone to pick up the ring, come to them and hands over the ring to the doll. Then he remembers the girl with him and looks around for her. To his surprise, she was having a stare down with the bear, and it seemed to be at a stalemate.

"Hey," he looks down at the doll again as she tugged for his attention, "Is she a master too?"

"I don't think so..."

"Oh okay... What's your name?"

"Yokozawa Takafumi."

She smiles at him and bows quickly. "I'm Riemi, the 7th doll!" She looks up at her master, "My master is Shinobu."

The blond-brown haired boy nods at him. "Takatsuki Shinobu," he then nods off to the staring contest, "We should go do something, don't you think?"

"Right!" Riemi held up her ring, which is as tall as her, in position for a few seconds before throwing it at the bear. Takafumi watches in shock as it cuts the bear in half, revealing white fluffy stuffing.

"You thought it was a person earlier too, right?" asks Shinobu, seeing his expression.

"Yeah... It's really just a bear?"

Shinobu shrugs. "Sometimes it's a bunny, a bear... And they're just full of stuffing, the dark stuff making them move."

"Dark stuff?"

"Keep watching."

He looks over at the bear again, it's legs having disappeared somehow, but the upper body continues to move.

As Riemi goes over to retrieve her ring, the girl approaches her. "Can I finish it off?"

Riemi looks at her curiously. "Okay..." she looks over at it, "Aim for either the back or the head cause I think that's where it'll come out."

"Got it! Ah, wait..." she picks up Riemi while calling over her dog who has stayed near the trees, "Take her back to those guys." After that she faces the enemy.

"Now," she begins to the bear who tries to lift itself off the ground with its hands and arms, "Let's start!"

Takafumi watches in shock as the girl runs at the bear, lifting it up in the air before throwing at against the tree, and throwing it again to kick it away. As it hits the ground he can see something black coming out before disappearing along with the bear's upper body.

"I wish I can kick like that," Riemi absentmindedly says out loud as they watch, petting the dog carrying her.

"Aren't you afraid of anybody seeing under your dress?" Shinobu asks the girl as she runs up to them, lifting up Riemi up from the dog and into his arms.

"Nope~" she smiles at them, "So, who are you guys? I'm Sumiko. That thing was bad right?"

Shinobu looks at her a tad bit annoyed. "None of your business, and none of your business."

"Oh, come on!" whines Riemi, "She can help us!" She faces Sumiko, "I'm Riemi."

Sumiko giggles. "Nice to meet you. You're so small, like that one girl I met the other day at the store."

Takafumi frowned. '_She met a doll at the store?' _he thought.

"I'm not a girl, I mean I was, but I'm a doll now."

"Eh...?" she pokes Riemi's cheek before looking at her limbs and seeing her ball joints. "Weh... I didn't notice that before."

Takafumi prods her on the shoulder. "You saw a doll at the store?"

"Um, yeah... She looked lost wandering around so I asked her where her mom was and helped her."

"They're not even tall enough to be considered little girls," says Shinobu, "You didn't think it was strange?"

"In my defense, I don't really think anything is strange," Sumiko answers, "And she reminded me of a cute fairy child." She giggles, "I think I made a mistake about the mom thing though, because the person with her that she needed to find was this boy. You don't have to be a girl to be a mom though, so it's okay."

"Guys can't be mothers," Takafumi states.

"I don't mean mother like that- I mean," she affectionately pets her dog, "Mitsu's my baby, but I didn't conceive him, you know? I love him to bits as if he were a part of me, like a mom to her kid." She looks at Takafumi, "You look like the mothering type~"

"I-I do not! Anyway, the doll you saw, what did she and her master look like?"

"Him... maybe around my age or a bit younger, brown hair, and green eyes. He was really cute; the little one was too. She also had green eyes-"

"It's Mio," Riemi interrupts knowingly.

Takafumi looks at her in surprise. "How-"

"She's the only one of us girls with green eyes," Riemi shrugs, "Automatic deduction," she says, and high-fives with Shinobu.

Sumiko looks over Riemi a bit as she high-fives Shinobu, especially at the fact that she was wearing a T-shirt. "Is that all you have to wear?"

"Yeah, her other one was torn," replied Shinobu, "So I just gave her one of my shirts."

"I have some clothes in my bag back there near the bench, if you want to choose a outfit." She signals Mitsu to get her bag.

"Why do you have doll outfits?" asks Takafumi as Mitsu comes back with Sumiko's bag.

"Earlier I bumped into this guy who wanted doll clothes for a manga reference or something so I helped him find this shop and we ended up buying some outfits..." Takafumi, Riemi, and Shinobu give her a look. "What? We couldn't help it, they were so adorable and well made!"

They continued to stare at her. "W-what?"

"How exactly do you earn money...?" asks Takafumi.

She staggers back comically from them. "W-What's with that, all of the sudden?"

"It's just that, you don't seem to hold back when shopping..." says Shinobu.

"What does that have to with-" She stopped as a man recognizable to Takafumi approaches them.

"Isaka-san?" says Takafumi, wondering why he was here, while Riemi froze her movements to play doll.

"Ah, Yokozawa! I didn't know you were acquainted with Hirakawa here..."

Sumiko looks at him reluctantly. "H-hi, Ryuu-tan..."

"Huh?" Takafumi looks at Sumiko. "Are you an author?"

"Nope," Ryuuichirou smiles, "She's an actress," he turns towards her as she squeaks in fear, "who is supposed to be attending an awards ceremony for Usami Akihiko's novel, the novel in which is currently being made into a movie that's going to be announced at the awards ceremony, the movie in which she plays the main heroine. Unlike the last novel of his that was also made into a movie a some while ago, this one has the main character singing at certain points before- well, I'm not going to spoil it."

_'Ah, that explains it...'_ Takafumi and Shinobu thought in sync.

"But wait... I haven't seen her around before," says Takafumi.

"She's been in America and Europe most of her life, so it's only natural you haven't seen her a lot," explains Ryuuichirou.

"I thought you were pretty strange for a Japanese person," says Shinobu to Sumiko.

"I'm not that strange! I don't even want to act anymore!" Sumiko complains, "I have enough money, so I don't have to work anymore. Can't I just relax in my home country?"

"Nope~" he says with another smile, "Apparently you've passed auditions and you signed the contract."

"Eeh...?! How?! When?!"

He smiles disturbingly at her. "That doesn't matter. Besides, you're the only one who does the main heroine justice," he loops his arm around one of hers, "And along with the other songs you have to sing, you get to sing the ending theme! Wasn't singing one of your hobbies on your profile? By all means, sing your heart out for this movie!"

She looks at Takafumi and Shinobu helplessly. "Help me..."

"..." Shinobu stares blankly at her before raising a hand to Ryuuichirou. "What about her dog?"

"Oh yeah... Watch him for a few hours, okay?" With that, he pulls her away and they all watch as a car pulls up almost magically to take them away, a deflated Sumiko reluctantly entering it.

"Ah, her bag..." Takafumi says, way too late in the moment.

"Looks like it's your problem," says Riemi, no longer in doll mode as she pats Takafumi's arm.

"What?! My problem?"

"Yeah," says Shinobu, "We have to go meet up with somebody soon, and you're free for the rest of the day."

"But..." Takafumi trails off, and they all look at Mitsu, who simply sits obediently with his tail wagging lazily, wondering why they're giving him stares.

* * *

**The type of hoop Riemi has is like a gymnastic hoop, if that makes sense.**

**Reading through this, 10 or 12 times, I tell myself I have to work hard at romance. **

**But... attempting that feels so embarrassing... **

**Now that I realize, most of all my stories have been stalling in romance, and I feel very bad...**

***facepalms* I... I'll try... But thoughts of the romance are hard and embarrassing to type out...**


	8. Chapter 8

**I found this chapter fun to write. So much fun... I didn't expect to hit past 2,500 though...**

***Ahem* Anyway... warning for language.**

**I don't own anything other than the obvious OC's.**

* * *

Within this space filled with grass and flowers lies a table, draped with perfection for its seated occupants. It held everything needed for a fabulous tea party, never rotting...

For time is suspended, and beauty can never fade.

Up above in it's sky, a man gazes at the seated occupants with the upmost admiration. And maybe some insane frustration, but that's up for debate.

Landing on the ground with grace, he goes to cradle the face of a sleeping dark haired boy, hugging a book like a stuffed animal. "Did you eat yet?"

After a while, he then goes to a short dark brown haired girl, holding a baby with closed, fluttering eyes. "How about you, my dear, did you feed your sister yet? Your mother and I are so proud of you taking care of her while she's sick..."

Then, as if his name was being called, he lets go and rushes across the table to the dark haired rapunzel, her empty green eyes searching for nothing.

"What's wrong my love?" He brings his ear to her chest, hugging her all the while in an awkward position. "Are you lonely again?" He sadly smiles moments later, setting her back to proper sitting position in her seat.

"I see. I'll find our older children. And our family will be all together yet again." He opens a door to his space, looking back at the table lovingly.

Then, a light flashes in his eyes, and they narrow as he smiles creepily. "And I'll finally get back at those bastards who tried to take you away from me all those years ago."

After he leaves, another man comes through a door he had created with his own power in the sky. Quietly, he counts the three remaining chairs at the table. Going down to their level, he places a hand on the dark haired woman's head.

"Don't worry," he says to her, looking at the sky, "I'll save them. All of them who have misunderstood. Even when my time runs out..."

He smiles sadly into her hair. "After all, I am him and he is me."

* * *

3rd Person POV

Gentle blue gray eyes look up in surprise as the door to the apartment opens and shuts loudly. Afraid that the person was someone other than who she wants it to be, she makes a beeline for the bathroom.

"No, no!" A familiar voice beckons her back, "It's me, Haruka!"

Halting in her tracks she rushes back and smiles as she greets her master. "Welcome back! Um... Master..."

He grins at her. "I told you, call me Chiaki!"

"N-no... that is far too informal..."

She watches as he staggers comically to the couch. "You say that like you're my servant or something!"

"In a way... I am? Aren't I?"

He shakes his head. "No, no!" Then he thinks of something. "Oh, how about you call me 'Nii-chan' then?"

She cocks her head. "Nii-chan?"

He nods. "Yeah! Like 'Nii-chan', or 'Papa'..." Her head perks up at the 'Papa', and he continues, "But... 'Papa' is bit w-"

"Papa...?!" She says, her eyes sparkling at him along with the geniune smile at her face.

"Eh? What? Wait! Uh, no! Call me 'Nii-chan'!"

"Papa!" She repeats again, smiling. "Papa!" Going to hug him, she mumbles happily. "You're my first Papa."

_'That's right_,' Chiaki thought, feeling slightly guilty, _'She was a orphan in the first place before becoming a doll...'_

"Umm..." He looks down to see her looking upset. "It's okay right? If I call you Papa?"

"Aww!" He hugs her, "Okay, you can call me Papa!" He just can't stay no to her.

"Oh yeah, I bought you some clothes with the help of this one girl," he shows her a bag, "Choose what you want to wear, okay? Sorry if what I bought isn't to your taste..."

As she looks through it, looking curiously at the evidence of her master's girly tastes, someone attempts to come into the apartment.

"Oh, crap! I can't believe I forgot..." In a rush, Haruka manages to grab all the clothes as her master picks her up and sets her in his room. "When you're done, just put the rest of the clothes in the closet, okay?"

"Okay." After a pat on the head, he shut the bedroom door behind him. Hearing a while later that it was that Tori person Haruka couldn't help but be worried. He sounded like a really mean person.

"I wonder if Kotone and the others are okay..." she says to herself as she goes through the clothes. It was beginning to feel lonely without her friends.

* * *

3rd Person POV

From the high level of the apartment, a small black haired boy with glasses peers across his back porch to the neighbors. Maybe just maybe, he can see her again, before her father yells and threatens him for peering like this.

To his happiness the small dark brunette is out again, playing with her bear doll like always. She was so tiny, the boy had thought the first time he saw her. She looks his age though, and she talks very well for their age. He found himself wanting to see her everyday, even though he still doesn't know her name.

"Hi! It's me again!" he greets from afar.

His heart skips a beat as she looks at him, her warm brown eyes looking over at him. "Hi," she says softly.

"Where's your daddy?" he asks.

Looking back at her bear doll, she answers calmly. "Grading papers."

"Oh, is he a teacher?"

She nods.

"But today's Sunday! Can't he take a break?"

"It distracts him from missing my other Papa."

The boy cocks his head in confusion. "Your other daddy?" He did not know someone could have two fathers.

With a calculating gaze, she looks at him. "I have two Papas," after a while she added, "Papa found me outside his door. Other Papa is on a hospital trip, so Papa has been very lonely."

"Oh..." After a round of silence, he hesitantly asks, "Where is your real family?"

She looks away from him to her bear doll again. "They died a long time ago. Very long."

"O-oh..." For some reason, he feels guilty for bringing it up. "Sorry."

"But my little sister is with me though," she says softly, cradling the bear doll lovingly.

"Where is she?"

She looks over at him again, her gaze making his heart beat rapidly again. "She's right here."

He frowns, his eyes roam the space around her, finding no one but her and her bear. "I don't see anything."

As she opens her mouth to speak again, the sliding door behind her opens. The boy cringes as her father glares at him. "Oy, stay on your side and mind your own business, you brat!"

"Can she come play over here then?" he asks rashly, feeling the courage to ask.

"No." With that, the boy watches saddened as his new friend is carried away by her father.

Inside, she is set on the kitchen counter. "At this rate, I'm going to give an earful to his parents," Hiroki says in frustration. "Almost every day he-"

"It's okay," she says, trying to calm him, "The boy is just curious. He's a nice boy."

"They're all nice at first."

She laughs, her voice light. "It'll be okay. I plan to show him my joints and tell him I'm a special model."

"You and your fascination in how people react..." He sighs, still grumpy, "Just stay in here for now until I'm done, okay? Then we'll head out because Takatsuki texted to me that he found another master."

Her eyes brightened, but her expression remained calm. "Really?" She smiles at him, "That's great!"

She realizes her mistake as a lost expression showed on her master's face. "Oh, I'm sorry... I'll try to remember..."

He looks away. "It's fine. Just..." he leans on the counter and sets his head on his arms. "I miss him," he confesses. "And I let him stay over there for another month because 'It'll be a good experience,'" he adds bitterly. "I miss him so much."

Realizing that he just confided to them his true thoughts yet again, he keeps his head down, hiding a embarrassed blush. "Bu-But not that much! I can't just tell him to come back because I miss him when he's doing so well! Haha..."

She goes to pat him on the head, the bear doll mimicking her movement. "Other Papa has a nice smile, doesn't he?"

"..." He sighs. "Yeah. Just try to not remind me with yours, Shizukesa."

"Then should I frown like you, to remind me of you?" The bear nods at this, "Arashi says she'd do that if she were human."

He looks up from his arms unamused, and pokes the bear doll, messing with the white ribbon on its dark head. "Hell no."

* * *

Misaki POV

Ritsu and I sit behind a tree, scared out of our minds.

You see, twenty minutes before this happened, we were in front of the library with Takano, Shiori, Mio-chan, and Chiemi. Some moments later, this Yokozawa guy and a new guy named Shinobu, who seemed very familiar by the way, joined us along with Chiemi's twin Riemi and someone's dog.

Shinobu then tells us that there was another master and that he was coming to meet with us as well.

Back to why we ended up behind a tree. Ritsu and I were sitting happily on a bench until we locked eyes with it.

A blue, huge sized Suzuki-san with a ugly green vest and an neon pick bow. The blue and the green were actually fine, the neon pink bow just keeps glaring at me and my eyes are kind of hurting...

After that, we were suddenly somewhere else that looked like where we were but it wasn't. There was nobody in this mimicry but us and the bear. After a while, it began picking up stuff that came out of nowhere and threw it at us. Running for some time, we ended up behind a tree, and to where we are now.

"What should we do?" I ask Ritsu. "Should we go kick it or something?"

"No... It seems too..." we cringe as something hits the tree we are hiding behind. "Strong."

"But then, how are we supposed to leave?"

Suddenly, we hear another voice. A very familiar voice. "Takahashi? What are you doing here?" We look to see Kamijou-sensei walk up to us.

"Kamijou-sensei?! Did he get you too?!" I ask.

"The bear? Like I'll get caught by that. We entered here on our own."

"We...?" says Ritsu, "Are you a doll master as well?"

He looks at us in surprise. "Don't tell me you guys are..."

I nod. "We are. But we were the only ones who noticed it so we ended up here by ourselves..."

"Can you guys not use their power yet?"

Ritsu looks at him in alarm. "Their power?"

Kamijou-sensei holds up his right hand and we see a ring on his finger. "You guys never made a contract?" he looks to the side. "Figures..."

"What?" I ask.

He avoids eye contact with us. "Nothing," he says, "You're going to have to talk to them about it." Kamijou-sensei, why can't you just tell us?

"Ah, that's right!" I look to Ritsu, "Ritsu, this is one of my professors, Kamijou Hiroki."

"Nice to meet you," Ritsu says to him.

"Likewise," Kamijou-sensei says, and he gestures us to get up. "Come on, it'll should almost be over now."

Out in the clearing, I look at the doll against the bear. Her hair was as short as Mio, probably a tiny bit longer, cut straight and smoothly along her shoulder. The color was slightly darker than Kamijou-sensei's and her eyes were a warm dark brown. Her bangs went across the top of her eyes, and some identical bangs on the sides of her face. Her light yellow and red dress seemed pretty normal compared to Mio-chan and the other dolls, I would have thought her to be an extremely small child and not a doll at all.

I watch as a small bear runs at us from the doll, and it goes to Kamijou-sensei, who picks it up and lets it sit on his shoulder. He looks so funny with it...

"Takahashi stop staring at me!"

"S-sorry!"

"Her name...?" asks Ritsu.

Hearing that, the doll turns at us as the bear begins to sway and sit down. Giving us a small smile, she bows politely. "I am the 8th doll, Shizukesa, five years old. Arashi is my little sister."

"Little sister..." I frown at this before Ritsu and I found ourselves staring at the tiny bear on Kamijou-sensei's shoulder. Before we could even ask, Kamijou-sensei beat us to it.

"She's a year old."

That... I shake my head. Nii-chan's child was older than that, but I can't imagine it...

I look back to Shizukesa who turned back to the bear. Strangely, it wasn't attacking her. Then, just slightly, she flicks it's arm and the darkness disappears from out of it, just like that.

"What is her power, Kamijou-san?" asks Ritsu.

"She can affect others with her emotions. She's mostly always calm, and if the negativity of those things are less than its positivity, it's easy to defeat them." He looks at his hand with the ring on it. "With me, I tend to set things on fire."

"I see," I say, slightly backing away from him, "Do you fight a lot?"

"Actually, no. I get tired from work, so I never get enough energy; found that the hard way coming home and finding one casually walking out of my bathroom with a pocketknife."

"How frightening," comments Ritsu who shudders, no doubt afraid to stay home now.

Moments later, the space around us begins disappearing, and Ritsu and I find ourselves where we were the first time, on the bench.

This time though, everyone was around us looking very worried.

* * *

3rd Person POV

At the awards ceremony, Ryuuichirou bides his time. He has to stay patient and unassuming for this to happen. Like they say, the past repeats itself, but this time...

A knowing smile comes upon his face, before looking annoyingly at a fake-smiling Akihiko. Usamis are unpredictable in a way; he may have to re-plan a lot, but no matter. They can't help that they are unknowingly involved. Oh, when the skeletons come out of the closet...

He straightens his tie, ready to proceed with his plan. It hurts him a bit to hide all this from Kaoru, but it must stay that way.

"Isaka..." he looks to see his childhood friend walk up to him. "What are you up to this time, that I had to come here with _him_ in the room?"

"Lighten up, Haruhiko," he says, patting the man on the back. "I just wanted to introduce you and Akihiko to someone."

"Is it that important?"

All Ryuuichirou does is smile knowingly hearing Akihiko done with his speech.

Akihiko sighs as he gets off stage; he wants nothing more than to leave and go home. And get that refill of Misaki that he's been pining for.

Of course, Ryuuichirou comes to pull him off somewhere. "There's someone I'd like you to meet."

"Who?"

"Umm..." he looks to see a young woman approach him, a bit younger than he was, wearing a yellow dress, and she held a bouquet of flowers out to him reluctantly. "Here... I heard Ryuu-tan forced you here too. I'm so sorry..."

"Oh, you too..." Akihiko says, somehow feeling some sort of companionship with the girl. With a determined expression, he says to her. "Let's run, right now."

She nods to him. "Agreed!"

Before they could even move though, Ryuuichirou links their arms with his with a big grin on his face. "Now, where are you guys going?"

"Home," they both say, trying to break out of his hold.

Ignoring them, he introduces Sumiko. "This Hirakawa Sumiko. She's the main heroine of the new movie."

"Somehow, I got the role," Sumiko says, upset. "I don't even remember how I auditioned..."

"Anyway," Ryuuichirou brushes her off, "She'll be visiting you, Akihiko, frequently for input on the songs she has to write and sing."

She looks at him surprised. "Eh?! I'm writing the lyrics?! I read the book, Ryuu-tan, and it didn't necessarily need a written song, just a beautiful sound in a series of la's and ah's. Along with the tone of the story line."

"The director agreed in that we wanted to deepen her character through lyrics given the certain points in the novel."

"I agree with Sumiko," says Akihiko, looking at him with a deadpan expression, "You just want her to use her voice to gain more fans, prompting her to debut as a singer, and make an album along with other fundamentals to get more money."

"It seems I've rubbed off on you, Akihiko."

"As if." He gets away from Ryuuichirou's hold, "I'm going to go; I did everything you asked, I now have no more reason to be here."

"Me too," says Sumiko, out of his hold as well, "I need to go pick Mitsu up, wherever he is right now."

"But you two didn't say hi to Haruhiko yet," Ryuuichiou gestures to Haruhiko, who had been ignored the whole time.

"W-were you always there?" asks Sumiko. He nods, and she bows apologetically. "I'm sorry...!"

Meanwhile, Akihiko glares at him. "What are you doing here?"

At that, Haruhiko stares at Sumiko, who doesn't notice as she looks at Akihiko to Haruhiko. "So... Haruhiko and Akihiko? Are you guys brothers?"

"Yes!" answers Ryuuichirou. "They're both of the Usami family."

"Eh..." She stares at them for a bit before looking awkwardly to the side. "That's nice..."

"Hehe..." They all look at a amused Ryuuichirou, "She has no clue who the Usami family are."

"Shut up! I just arrived here like how many weeks ago!" She crosses her arms, "Besides, it's not like I have any business with them other than the songs and the movie." Then she looks at Akihiko. "Oh, since I have to go to your place, can you show me where it is and what time to go there? I don't want to disturb you if you have a girlfriend or something."

"Okay."

"So you do have a girlfriend?"

"No, it's not a girlfriend." Akihiko ignores the look Haruhiko gives him.

"Eh... Then, a boyfriend?" she says jokingly. "He probably cooks for you and everything huh?"

He looks surprised at her. "How did you know?"

"! Really, you do?" she looks at him awed. "Can I see a picture?"

"...You want to see a picture?" This is a first for him.

She nods as Ryuuichirou butts in. "Akihiko, those people over there want to talk to you," he says, dragging Akihiko away.

"Why..." Sumiko looks at Haruhiko. "Why'd Ryuu-tan butt in like that?" It's not like she was dense or anything, she can see that Ryuuichirou had taken away Akihiko on purpose.

He ignores that question. "Are you not phased that Akihiko has a male lover?"

"Should I be? I mean, whatever makes you happy. Do you have one?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Why?" Haruhiko repeats.

At seeing a tall white bear standing near the tables like no one's business, she does a double take as she answers him. "You look like a nice guy."

"A nice guy?"

"Yeah," Sumiko answers, looking over at the tables, "I mean, I think if you were to ask someone out, they'd accept in a heartbeat."

"...I see."

The white bear leaves the room. She goes to follow, but not before turning to Haruhiko. "It was nice meeting you, Haruhiko. I'll be taking my leave now."

Before she even could even leave though, a hand pulls her back and once again, she faces Haruhiko. "What is it?" Was the tag on her dress showing or something?

"Would you like to go out with me?"

After two rounds of blinking, the only response she could give him was, "...Eh? Why?"

"Why?"

She begins playing with a strand of her hair. "W-well, I never really planned to ever get into a relationship... And this is kind of sudden..."

"But you said that if I were to ask someone out, they would accept."

"! Th-that... I mean, I would, I think. I never went out with someone before, and I just said that I never really planned to get into a relationship..."

After a moment of silence, one of them manages to talk. "I'll pick you up at 8."

"..." Hanging her head in defeat, Sumiko replied weakly. "Okay..." Then she remembers the bear. "Oh, um, I don't have my cell phone with me, so you have to go ask Ryuu-tan! I really have to leave now, please excuse me!"

As she turned to leave though, she smacked right into someone, and sees with shocked eyes that it was the white bear, staring blatantly at her with its dark eyes.

* * *

**How is it? Just wondering. Any questions?**


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry it's been a while. Disclaimer's the same as the past chapters.**

**This chapter is held in 3rd POV.**

* * *

_As she turned to leave though, she smacked right into someone, and sees with shocked eyes that it was the white bear, staring blatantly at her with its dark eyes._

Immediately at the side of her sight, she watched as an arm rising in the air at her direction. Quickly, she turned to Haruhiko to push him out of harm's way.

Upon hearing a crash, Ryuuichirou turned to see the white bear and its damage to the side of the stage.

"I don't see anything...", "A freak accident?" Were among the things he kept hearing as everybody went to leave the room in haste.

"Let's go Akihiko," Ryuuichirou says, rushing the author out of the room.

"What is that?" Akihiko asks, seeing a faint blur compared to Ryuuichirou's version.

Seeing that mostly everyone had left the room, Sumiko wondered whether to destroy it like last time. Before she could make a move though, Haruhiko tries to pull her away. Shaking him off, she turns to him. "Go, Haru-chan. I'll finish him."

Not bothering to hear his response she proceeded charging at it.

* * *

"!" Ritsu looked around, suddenly feeling threatened.

"Gggrrr..." Everyone turned to the dog, who narrowed his eyes.

"What's wrong?" asked Takafumi.

"Master, his says," they look to see a short-haired doll and her master walking towards them. "Something is happening that is out of our control."

"Shizu!" Riemi says happily. "You're here!"

However, the other dolls thought otherwise as they spotted the ring on Hiroki's finger.

"Shizukesa!" Shiori frowns at her to the ring, "Why? We all agreed - no contracts!"

"Actually, guys.." They turn to Riemi, "They're not the only one," she says, and Shinobu presents his ring.

"Riemi..." Chiemi says shocked, before casting a panicked glance at her master. Mio goes to cling on Misaki's legs.

"The game is changing," Shizukesa hugs Arashi close to her, "And also, Papa didn't agree to the no contracts."

Ritsu turns to Shiori. "What contracts?"

"There is no time for that now," Shizukesa points to the growling Tamaskan. "That beast must be taken to his master."

* * *

"Why don't you come home?" The bear says, swinging at her once more with both arms.

Sumiko blinked at it in confusion, before grabbing the microphone stand and pointed it at the bear. "..What?"

"Your brothers and sisters miss you..."

"Ha! I have only two brothers! You can't fool me!" She says, jump kicking the bear in the stomach before slamming the microphone on its head. Seeing nothing coming out, Sumiko frowned as she panted in exhaustion; she was sure she hit everywhere on the bear.

"That bear cannot be sent back to the shadows." Sumiko turned to see a long, wavy, blonde-haired doll in a navy and white dress come towards her.

"...What? But why?"

"It was not meant to fight."

At this, Sumiko remembered how it simply stood about before she bumped into it. Then she remembered what it was doing with it's arms. "It was trying to grab me... And take me home..."

"...Take you home?" The doll looks at the ground in thought. As she spotted the bear getting up, she materializes her white umbrella, stitched with lace and elegance. Quickly, she points the umbrella to the bottom of the bear, and creates somewhat of a portal. Sumiko watched in awe as the bear fell in it.

"What did you do?"

The doll grabs on to Sumiko's dress to pull her away to the exit while holding her umbrella with the other hand. "I sent it somewhere random. It won't stray for long though; after all," she glances up at Sumiko with her light blue eyes. "..."

"What?"

"...What is your name?"

"Oh, Sumiko."

"I see. I am the 1st doll. I have forgotten my human name, but my first master named me Wataru and it has been that since."

"Who is your owner...? Because Riemi-"

"You have been acquainted with the other dolls?"

"U-um, yeah..."

"I see. My master is-"

"Oy," they look up to see Ryuuichirou run to them. "Are you guys okay?!"

Wataru faces him. "This is my master," she says, before pointing to the ground and making a portal. "I shall take my leave now. Please give my regards to the others."

* * *

"Hey!" Sumiko looks up to see Mitsu running at her, along with the people she had met earlier along with more people.

"Mitsu!" she said happily as the dog jumps on her just as happy. She looks up at them. "Thank you!"

"Did something happen?" asked Takafumi.

She nods. "This bear came and it wouldn't disappear until Wataru-nyan opened some dimensional door," she looks at the dolls in their arms who tried to play fake since there were some people around, "She says hi."

_'Ah, that's right...'_ Misaki thought in distress. _'Isaka-san is her master...'_

"It wouldn't disappear?" asks Riemi.

"Yeah, I thought it was trying to cause trouble, but it did all that just to 'take me home' or something like that."

All the dolls stare at her while Shizukesa looked at Ritsu to Sumiko with a calculating gaze before turning to them. "I told you the game is changing..."

Riemi wondered at that before realizing something and looked to Misaki and Ritsu. "Which one of you saw the other bear first? The bear that locked you in a mimicry?"

"That..." Ritsu trailed out, wondering how to figure that out.

"Actually," Misaki looks at Ritsu. "It was really sudden, but I looked wherever you were looking because I felt you tense up all of the sudden. So that really got me on alert..."

"Wait," Takafumi looks at Sumiko, "Before you came up to me... You had seen him well before you pointed it out to me."

"So? Wai-wait WAIT...!" She pointed at all of them. "Names. Now. All of you guys, even the ones that are not talking. I'm Hirakawa Sumiko. Now go, starting from that quiet guy over there." She demands, pointing at Masamune to the next person.

"Takano Masamune."

"Takatsuki Shinobu."

"Riemi!"

"Kamijou Hiroki."

"Shizukesa," she points at the little bear, "Arashi," Shizukesa answers.

"Mio!"

"Takahashi Misaki."

"Onodera Ritsu."

"Shiori."

"Chiemi."

"Yokozawa Takafumi."

"Okay, thank you!" Now back to before," Sumiko looks at Takafumi, "So?"

* * *

From around the corner, three pairs of eyes watch as the group continued to converse.

"Should we present ourselves? What do you think, Kotone?"

"I don't see Haruka-chan, Hibiki..." Small brown pigtails bounced as the doll looks up at their master. "What do you want to do?"

"I don't know- I'm just stunned that Yokozawa-san is a master... and that somehow Takano-san's apart of it."

"Well, hurry and get over it so we can say hi," Hibiki says impatiently.

Meanwhile, Kotone touches her master's hands worriedly. "Are you feeling okay? With the two of us..."

"It's fine. Just as long as Yukina doesn't get involved."

"This is strange though," Kotone brushes her hands against the two rings, pulling back the sleeves of her kimono, "None of us has ever shared a master before..."

* * *

**Sorry, this was a while and it's a short chapter.**

**I had something else written, but then I hit backspace and it didn't save and then I gave up and... **

***flips table***


	10. Chapter 10

**Okay guys, bear with me.**

**Time has passed a little, let's say some weeks... but things will be explained.**

* * *

First

"I'm home," Ryuuichirou tiredly mumbles as he enters his home. Seeing the apartment all dark, his brows furrowed and he turns on the lights. "Wataru?"

_'Is she not here?'_ wonders Ryuuichirou as he searches about the place; it was unlike the doll to leave without a notice- or a note as he found no trace of why she didn't appear when he called.

_'Where did she-'_ he pauses his thoughts as he saw a spider relaxing on the wall in front of him._ 'Oh... so that's why.'_ Carefully, he grabs a napkin and disposes of the small creature, tossing it in the bin. "Wataru, it's gone."

He hears the creak of his bedroom door. "A-are you sure?"

"Sure."

Hesitantly, she walks towards him, looking about warily before setting her eyes on him. "I thought you wanted to spend the night with Kaoru-sama."

Sighing, Ryuuichirou picks her up. "I do... but I can't risk that. I don't want any chance of bringing him into this."

She puts a hand on his cheek and pats it. "He loves you- I guarantee he will become a part of this."

"Thanks for cheering me up," he says sarcastically, putting her on the counter and messing with her hair. "You always know what to say."

"I-I have not really dealt with romantic relations- as you know my other masters were-"

"Old and dying, or a widow- I know."

She bows. "I will try my best to adjust to this."

"It's fine, it's fine- just..." Not knowing what to say, he simply ruffles her hair much to her annoyance.

* * *

Second

"Papa?! Papa?!" Haruka says repeatedly in panic, trying to shake her master awake upon finding him slumped over some of his manga pages.

"T-tori... he's going to be..." Chiaki crawled around as he weakly gathers all the paper together and his hands shake as he hands it to her, "S-slip it out the door... before he tries to come in... I..." She holds on to his pant leg as he staggers up to walk to his room, "I'll go nap now..."

Quickly as he shuts his room door, Haruka grabs the papers and quickly opens the door. Looking frantically about and finding no one she sets it on the ground before shutting the door again.

...

Hearing a knock, Haruka finishes putting the sandwiches she's making for Chiaki on the table. Peering into Chiaki's room she found him still deeply asleep. _'What should I do...?'_

"Hey, Chiaki! I know you're here!" Flinching, she finds herself standing in front of the front door at a loss, recognizing the voice as Chiaki's other friend, Yuu.

_'One of them... one of them has a key...'_ Glancing around at the clean living space she panics as the man out there probably knows it shouldn't be this tidy...

"Yanase." She hears a cold voice say. _'Tori's here too...'_

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

Hearing the sound of the door becoming unlocked, she steps back frightened, crying out in fear as she accidentally trips on one of the ends of her dress.

"What was that?!" she hears Yuu say. As she gets up, she turns her head as soon as she hears the door open, locking eyes with two pairs of them staring at her in surprise.

"What the..." mutters Yuu, who she found was the shorter man compared to Tori, who just continued to stare at her.

Turning to run, she finds herself tripping again near the counter. Tottering upwards as she tries not to cry out for Chiaki and wake him up, they watch as she whisks a long straw fan out of nowhere. Holding it as if a weapon, she sets herself between them and the way to the bedroom.

Noticing her purposeful position, Tori narrows his eyes at Chiaki's room and takes a step forward. "Chiaki?" he calls out.

"N-no..." She points the not-so-sharp end of the fan at him, "He's sleeping, pl-please let him rest..." She perks up remembering the papers, "Did... Did you get them?"

After a while trying to understand what she was talking about, Tori nods. "Yes, I got them."

"Haruka?" They all turned at the sound of Chiaki's voice. "Haruka?" His voice becomes more panicked. "Haruka?!"

"I-I'm here..." she says, putting her fan away with a wisp of air.

"Since I managed to finish work for now, let's go out to find the others."

"Really?!" She says hopefully, before faltering a little. "But there will be a lot of people..."

"I...I know, but I really want to help you guys be human again. And you can live with me like right now! I'll adopt you, if I can do that- can I adopt you if you don't have current records...? How does that even work...?"

She frowns in confusion. "Current records?"

"You know, like your blood type, where you were originally from, your birthday..."

"Oh..." Steadily, she totters to his door. "T-tori used his key and Yuu is here too."

"What?!" They hear stumbling and things thrown around before Chiaki comes out, breathless. "Hah..." He points at them accusingly and in surprise, "Haahhhh!"

They stare at him in confusion as he grabs his satchel with his wallet and cell phone inside, before carrying Haruka and running out of his apartment without any explanation.

* * *

Third

"This internet is really amazing!" Shiori exclaims as he scrolls through random pages on the top at the main desk after closing time.

"You can buy stuff from there too," says Ritsu from some shelves away, putting up a book.

"Re-really?!"

"It depends on who is selling it though, they don't sell exactly everything on the internet."

"Ahh, I see," Shiori continues to scroll, "Even something this amazing has it's limits..."

Quietly, Ritsu makes his way back to the main desk with his now empty cart. Carefully, Ritsu sat at his desk watching Shiori before timing what he's been wanting to ask. "What's this contract you guys are not telling us?"

"Oh," he begins absentmindedly, "It comes in the form of a ring- you guys can use our power, but it takes energy out of you and since you can fight back the dollies will go after you more. It's a bother really- our main priority is to keep you guys safe until we go back to-" realizing that he just spouted that all out in his distraction, he shut his mouth.

"Do-don't do that! You know I say things when I'm distracted!" Shiori whines, seeing Ritsu smile at him.

"Is that why you don't want to make a contract?"

After a while, Shiori nods reluctantly. "Also, I haven't actually had a master for a long while now as everyone before left me away in the attic..."

"I want to help though."

"...I know. But, it worries me- especially when Shizukesa told us it's changing..."

"What does that mean, exactly?"

"Well," he brought a hand to his chin in thought, "For instance, Sumiko-san. She can see them perfectly, which is rare, and the bear wanted her to go back home, or something to that effect, I- Oh, no."

Ritsu looks at him in alarm. "What?"

"It-it's just a thought but... You know we don't really have to sleep, right?"

"What about it?"

"If we do sleep, which is most of the time, we dream of the past we are more attached to. Like me, I dream I'm playing with my brother before I get lost, progressing towards a bad dream I wake up from. Rarely though, I dream of this space I haven't actually seen with my own eyes before."

"It," he continues, "was a huge meadow, with a table, chairs, and people were sitting in it- they were all sleeping though, and I swear one of them looked like me. I wasn't sure though... Wataru has had a dream like that as well, along with Haruka. Us three, perhaps it was because we are the first three, we are more attuned with the infinite doors within the dimensional space than our memories."

"Back to the meadow space though, I noticed that it was all filled except for three seats and I recall faintly something about older siblings, but I'm not exactly sure. I don't want to jump to conclusions..."

"So, you think, that man is going to get Sumiko-chan and two others?"

"Most likely. I think that was what Shizukesa was probably hinting to us- ever since I told her I don't like spoilers she really thinks about how she tells us things for the fun of it."

"I see..."

After a while of thinking hard, Shiori sighs as he looks to Ritsu. "Hold out your hand."

"Left or right?"

"Oh, either one works." Ritsu holds out his right hand and Shiori puts his hand over his, taking a deep breath. "Okay, I haven't done this in a really long time so...

* * *

Fourth & Fifth

"Aaauuggh...!"

Kotone and Hibiki immediately run from the living room to the bedroom, finding their master leaning heavily against the wall as he had a hand clenching over the one he wore his two rings on.

"M-master?!" Kotone rushes to him holding out her hand, "Here, I'll cancel it," he shakes his head, his eyes trained straight ahead of him as if in a trance, "Please..." she begs, not wanting him to suffer.

Her twin however, looked him over carefully. "Kotone... doesn't this look familiar?"

"What do you mean?"

"Aahhh!" They try their best to push him back to bed, only to have him fall to the ground landing on a cushion as he goes into fetal position with his hands on his head in pain.

"He's not in pain, like in used-too-much power pain, this is more like..."

Kotone grabs a small blanket and puts it over Shouta so he can be warm, seeing that was the only thing she can do in the situation. "Like what?"

"Like, when they came to take us from Father and made him keep reliving when Mother got killed to distract him..."

"But Father never really loved Mother..."

"They were best friends though! And she really wanted children so... Anyway, this reminds me of it."

"Then, he's remembering something?" She kneels near his head and strokes his hair comfortingly. "Is it because of the rings?"

"I don't know... See, this is why we should have introduced ourselves to the others when we saw them, but no..." sighing, he looks miserably at Shouta. "Maybe we should go find them now- especially Shizukesa or Shiori... Maybe Wataru..."

"I don't want to leave him alone..."

They then hear a knock at the door. "Kisa-san! Are you home?"

"Tch... Sparkles is here, what do we do?"

"Don't call my real master a name like that!"

"But that's what he does!"

"Se..." They look at Shouta, still in pain with his eyes shut now, "Sei... Seira..."

"Master...?" Kotone says soothingly, shaking him.

"Seira..." Hibiki pauses in thought, "Wasn't that Mother's name?"

"Hnngh..." Kotone bites her lip as Shouta begins crying, "S-Seira... D-don't leave us here by ourselves..."

"This..." Hibiki trails off, a frightening and very possible thought coming to him.

"Y-you... you know- I, I'm not exactly a father figure..."

"Kotone."

Looking up at him in surprise at him, she looks at him worriedly. "What?"

"How much do you believe in reincarnation?"

* * *

Sixth

"Meow..." Sorata purrs as he rubs himself again Chiemi.

"Sorata... you're shedding on me..." She tries to sit somewhere else on the couch. He follows her, resuming his rubbing.

Pouting, she looks up at the clock and pouts even more. "Where is he?"

_'He said there was this person and his daughter he would meet now and then... Is he over there?'_ She fidgets with her white-sleeved, violet dress.

She sneezes as a piece of fur strays near her nose. She climbs off the couch unsteadily, running to the door with a rub-happy Sorata following. "I'm not a rubbing post!" She looks up at the door handle. _'I know how to go to the library, maybe I should go? But then he might get angry at me for leaving without permission...' _

_'Oh, that's right! He wrote down his cell phone number somewhere!'_ she thinks triumphantly, ignoring Sorata now licking her hair.

...

"You should stay the night, Yokozawa Onii-chan!"

"No thank you, I have Sorata at home, remember?" Hearing his phone ring, Takafumi finds it not in his pockets and heads towards the couch where Kirishima is sitting.

Finding it stuck between two cushions he picks it up. "Hello?"

"Ah, Master! When are you coming home?"

"You, you don't have to call me that." That sentence got Kirishima interested. "What's wrong?"

"Sorata won't stop rubbing and licking me." At this Takafumi couldn't help but crack a small smile.

"He's claiming you as territory," Takafumi explains, trying to bat away the pokes Kirishima's giving him on the cheek.

"E-eh?"

"Cats do that-"

But, but! We both belong to you, I don't understand!"

"It's fine. It also means he really likes you. I'll be home soon, okay?"

"Okay. Can I go visit Shiori or Riemi tomorrow?"

...

"It..." Chiemi rubs her eyes as she turns on the bed.

"What's wrong?" asks Takafumi.

"I don't know why, but it feels sort of chilly-" she tilts as Sorata walks towards her on the bed and licks her at the side of her head. "W-what?"

Yawning, Sorata licks her once more on the head before sleeping against her. About to complain, she held back her words as she cuddled against his stomach. "He's so warm."

"You know," says Takafumi, "It looks like you're a kitten."

"A kitten?"

"That's probably why he's been acting like this- he probably adopted you as his own."

"Eh...?!"

* * *

Seventh & Eighth

Miyagi turns his head from his book once again for the fifth time, wondering why Shinobu no longer visited him more than necessary.

He heard no noise next door either... Picking up his cell, he dialed.

"Hello?"

"Where are you, Shinobu?" asks Miyagi.

"At a friend's- am I doing this right?"

"Shinobu?"

"I'm busy right now- I'm sorry." With that, Miyagi looks at his cell in surprise at the abrupt hang up.

...

"Gah!" Riemi hit her head against the counter in frustration, "Why are we doing this? We can't even eat!"

"Hey, you two said you wanted to do this!" Hiroki barks back, wearing his manly apron as he iced the lemon cake.

"I miscalculated, okay?!" Riemi turns to Shizukesa, "What do you have to say about this?!"

Shizukesa turns from her recipe reading, her calm and professional. "All the more reason to get our bodies back."

"To eat?!"

"Not just eat," says Shinobu, stirring the caramel, "Don't you want to grow? Go to school? Fall in love?"

"Ehh... I'm a bit skeptical about the fall in love part... Especially meeting you guys- oof!" She staggers back as Shinobu flicks her forehead. "Sorry..."

"Also, Riemi..." Shizukesa nudges a docile sitting Arashi affectionately, "Don't you want to see what Arashi looks like when she grows older?"

"Well, yeah..."

Shinobu looks to Hiroki, "Can I be the godfather?"

"Hell no- Nowaki's the godfather."

"No way~" Shinobu whines, "He counts as the other parent!"

"Not here though, if you know what I mean."

"Tch..."

"Be satisfied at being doting Uncle#1."

* * *

Ninth

_"Mama..." Light forest eyes rest on the woman kneading bread in front of her. "What does adopted mean?"_

_She watches as she stops kneading, wiping sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand. Seeing that she wasn't saying anything, the small blonde child saddened visibly._

_"I'm a monster like the ladies say-"_

_"Oh no..." She looks up at her motherly figure, wiping her hands of flour to rush to her and cup her face and hug her close, "You're not a monster sweetheart. You're Mama's child."_

_"But, I don't look like you," she could feel her stiffening. "Is that what adopted means?"_

_"..." Sighing, she steers her to the front door, "I'm going to show you something."_

_"W-what?" Being brought to the flower garden Mama loves taking care of, she looks up at her, "It's your garden."_

_"It wasn't always a garden- it was just ordinary land, until one day, I found something special on it and it grew like this."_

_"Huh? What?"_

_"You." _

_After a while, the child sags in posture. "I'm not Mama's child."_

_"Sweetheart," Mama kneels to get eye to eye. "Who takes baths with you?"_

_"You."_

_"Who feeds you?"_

_"You."_

_"You tucks you in at night and brushes your hair?"_

_"You."_

_"Who helped you learn how to walk and cut apples?"_

_"You."_

_"Who do you call Mama?"_

_"...You."_

_"I, I may not have given birth to you, or gave you your name, but I am your Mother no matter what."_

_"Even if I come from grass and dirt?"_

_"Yes, even if you come from grass and dirt. Even if I'm a dog... a cat... or a man, I'm your Mother. I love you."_

_"I love you too, Mama."_

_"Want a bear?" They both start at the voice, coming from outside their fence. The dark haired man waves his hat in greeting. "Want a bear?!"_

_Suddenly she felt her Mama tense. "Mama?"_

_Mama stands up and glares at the man. "For the last time, we are not interested! I myself sew bears; we have no need to waste money and buy yours!" With that she steers her child to the safety of their home. _

_"Don't look at the bears," whispered Mama._

_"Why...?" she whispered back, turning slightly. _

_All at once everything turns to black._

"Mio-chan?" Misaki shakes her again. "Mio-chan?"

"Don't look at the bears," she eerily whispers in her sleep, and Misaki backs away from the Suzuki-san sitting on his bed that he brought in when Mio wanted a sleeping buddy with them.

"W-what...?" Misaki says, frightened, and he shakes her again, "Mio-chan?"

"Mama..." Mio whimpers sadly in her sleep, and Misaki wondered what to do to stop her dreaming like this as it was the third time.

...

Akihiko irritably typed on his laptop in the living room. He has had literally no Misaki fill since ever, and it was all _her_ fault. Glaring at the doll following his Misaki like a duckling, he huffed and went back to typing.

He sees movement close by, and looks up to see Misaki looking at main Suzuki-san warily. "What's wrong, Misaki?"

"N-nothing..." He mutters, before walking back to the kitchen.

Giving Misaki a strange look Akihiko goes back to typing, before turning again finding the doll looking at him curiously.

"What?" he asks, emitting a menacing aura.

"You... you don't make teddy bears?" she asks, not phased at all.

Slightly confused at the question, Akihiko shuts his laptop temporarily and sits up straight with his arms crossed at her. "No. I collect them."

"Collect?" She looks at Suzuki-san. "It's eyes are dark."

"It is a cute dark though," he brings Suzuki-san close and shows the sheen of his sewn eyes, feeling it with a finger, "See?" Akihiko looks at her somewhat frightened look. "I saw you play earlier, what happened?"

"Mama says don't look at the bears."

"...What?" he says, looking to Misaki.

"N-not me!"

Mio agrees with him. "He's not Mama, he's Mommy."

"Oh? And who am I?" asks Akihiko.

"Uh..." She looks at Misaki shaking his head at him before saying, "Usa-san."

"Usa-san? I remember earlier, you called me Daddy."

"Ah..." She looks at a loss, not wanting to hurt his feelings that Misaki doesn't want her to call him Daddy, "Da-daddy loves Mommy."

"I do love Mommy."

She sways with her arms behind her back, "Really? You really love Mommy?"

"Yes. I have loved Mommy for some time now. In actuality, you would have like four siblings by now or maybe more."

"U-Usagi-san! Don't say weird things like that!" protested a blushing Misaki.

"Really?" Mio says in wonder at the amount of siblings.

"Yes... But..."

"Huh? But what?" asks Mio, and in response Akihiko leans sadly against Suzuki-san, "What's wrong?"

He beckons her close while Misaki looks on in suspicion. "I want to honeymoon with Mommy again," he whispers.

She cocks her head to the side. "Honeymoon?" she whispers back.

"It's where we go somewhere alone and love each other so much we don't see anybody else until the next day... or the next."

"Until the next day?!" she whispers frantically, "That's a lot of love!"

"Yes," he smirks, "Yes it is. Sometimes it's so much Mommy can't move."

"B-but, what do I do? I don't want to be alone when you guys are gone! Where are you guys going to go?"

"That secret room Mommy tells you not to go to because there is a scary rabbit sleeping there every morning."

"The one with toys?"

He nods, and at this point, Misaki is wondering why Akihiko's smirking hasn't died down. "And while we're gone, you can go sleepover with a friend... or," he points to his laptop, "You can watch stuff on here in Mommy's room until we say it's okay to come out."

She looks at the laptop. "I can watch stuff on that skinny thing?"

He nods again. "Here, I'll show you."

Thus, the honeymoon went without a hitch, and upon receiving a teddy bear almost as big as her, Mio likes to mimic her Daddy walking around carrying Suzuki-san with her own Suzu-san.

* * *

With Haruhiko

"Stop following me!"

"We haven't gone on our date yet."

Sumiko, clad in a blue sundress, turns to Haruhiko. "But-!"

"No."

After a round of stares, Sumiko slouches in defeat. "You're lucky Mitsu is hanging out with my Grandfather today."

Taking her hand in his, Haruhiko walks straight ahead. "Where are we going?" Sumiko asks.

"What people do on a normal date."

"O-oh...? What?"

"An opera show, a boat ride, and dinner with the finest-"

"T-that's not normal!"

* * *

With Masamune

Yawning, Masamune made his way out of the building; work was as usual, aside from gossipy Kisa being strangely absent.

_'I wonder how's he doing?'_ He hasn't seen Ritsu for a week now, it's things like this he did not like work. Although, as he takes out his cell phone, he finally got Ritsu a cell phone and his cell number. It was a surprise to him that he went by a different last name outside wise, but that was fine.

"Um..." He looks up at the voice, and widens his eyes in surprise.

"Ritsu?"

"H-hi... Um..." Seeing as they were mostly alone, it made Ritsu even more self-aware as he blushes. "It's n-not that late and I was wondering... um..."

"What?"

"I," he fidgets, "I never went to the movies before so I... Do you want to go to the movies with me?"

"..." Masamune couldn't believe it- was he just asked on a...?

Blushing even more, Ritsu looks everywhere and rambles, "We-well, Shiori asked me what anime was and then I showed him this site and then he wanted to watch everything and he said as long as I get used to being-" He is suddenly dragged off. "Wha-?"

"What are we waiting for?" says Masamune, "I'd be more than happy going on a date with you."

"A da-da-da-date..." Ritsu stutters, his blush still prominent on his cheeks. At this, Masamune stops to hug Ritsu tightly.

"Do you want to go to my place after?" he asks, stroking Ritsu's hair and taking in his scent.

"Eh? W-where is your place again?"

"Not that far- but you probably won't be going home until tomorrow," Masamune added, before bringing in Ritsu for a kiss. "What do you say?" asks Masamune, breathless as they break apart minutes later.

"O-okay..." Ritsu answers, promptly being kissed again by Masamune before they walked off to the theater.

From some feet away, a familiar brunette girl looks from behind the lamppost at the leaving couple with a smile, recognizing that blushing face anywhere.

"...So this is where you were, Ricchan."

* * *

**Woo... long chappie. What do you guys think? **

**Oh, and have a nice Labor Day weekend!**

**I don't own anything but my OC's, the latters in which are obvious unless I say so. Also, if you want a more accurate vision for Kotone and Hibiki, I based them off of the appearance of the main characters of Pokémon HG&SS (Something that I also don't own.) Some changes though:**

**Hibiki's hair is a dark shade like Shouta, and brown-golden eyes, and Kotone's hair is a brown similar to Hiroki's and her eyes are brown-golden like Hibiki. This may change though if I actually test the colors and find myself wanting to change it.**


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